The Public Library (Walsingham House)

The Public Library, also known as Walsingham House, is a mid-19th century building that originally served as a shop and house, and is now a library and house. It features a red brick front with yellow stock brick on the return elevations and has a plain tiled roof. The building is designed in an unarchaeological Gothic Revival style and stands three storeys high, with a gable end facing the street.

The ground floor has a shop front adorned with red and purple glazed tiles, featuring two plate glass sash windows and a plate glass door to the right. Above this, there is a canopy with a balcony on the first floor, supported by cast iron piers with valancing. Notably, large meat hooks are suspended from the canopy, indicating its original use as a pork butcher's shop. The light cast iron balcony adds to the architectural interest.

The first and second floors are decorated with pilaster quoin strips and a plat band that serves as capitals over the pilasters. This supports a quadruple rebated arch within a kneelered gable, which encloses an arched plate glass window with a small balcony on the second floor, and a larger arched window with a pierced quatrefoil head on the first floor. The right return of the building features segmental sashes, a plinth, plat bands, cornices, and gabled dormers. The building is included for its group value.