The Carnegie Free Public Library building dated 1904, is now the premises used by Knutsford Day Nursery.
The Grade II listed building was commissioned in 1904 by Scottish American Andrew Carnegie, who believed in, “Improving conditions for all people in all walks of life”. The successful industrialist gave £1,500 to Knutsford in 1904 for a library to be built in Brook Street.
It was designed by the architect Alfred Darbyshire of Manchester with funding from the Carnegie Trust.
It was replaced as a library in 2002 with a new library building on a different site.
The Grade II description given by British Listed Buildings reads as follows;
"SJ7478 BROOK STREET
792-1/3/116 (West side)
12/02/99 Knutsford Library
II
Public Library. 1904, extended late C20, together with minor
alterations. By Alfred Darbyshire, architect, of Manchester,
with funding from the Carnegie Trust.
Red brick, laid to English garden wall bond, with buff
terracotta dressings and detailing. Welsh slate roof covering,
that to the principal range with a shallow mid-span clerestory
light to each pitch.
PLAN: irregular L-plan complex, comprised of 2 main ranges,
with entrance bay infilling the space between.
FRONT ELEVATION: tall wide gable to left with wide oriel
window carried on low, wide advanced pier incorporating 2
small single light windows. 4-light mullioned and transomed
oriel rising from moulded terracotta base and with joggled
flat lintel bearing the inscription 'PUBLIC FREE LIBRARY'.
Wide terracotta bands at oriel base and window transom levels
extend full width of gable, which carries decorative copings
and elaborate apex panel with niche and ball finial.
To the right, low flat roofed entrance range with wide
4-centred arched doorway below elaborately decorated doorhead
incorporating corbelled flanking shafts, ball finials and a
central panel with enrichments and the date 1904. Each side of
the doorway are 3 single light windows set on a continuous
cill mould, and with a lintel band made up of the linked
joggled heads to the openings. Further right, and set back, a
single bay with pyramidal roof.
INTERIOR: principal range serves as adult library, formed of
single space open to the roof. Bay roof structure comprised of
double purlins supported by 2 arch-braced hammer beam roof
trusses with diminutive king posts at collar level, and metal
tie rods linking the hammer beams. Lower rear range forming
children's library is ceiled, with wide cornice band and
2-light mullioned and transomed windows.
Listing NGR: SJ7545678426"
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