Description

SUNDERLAND

NZ4058 CHURCH STREET
920-1/9/42 (East side)
Monkwearmouth Branch Library and
attached railings

II

Branch library and railings attached. 1910. By Edward Cratney;
site the gift of JG Addison; paid for, and opened 21/10/09 by
Andrew Carnegie. Brick with ashlar plinth, sill band and
dressings; Lakeland slate roof with ashlar gable copings and
cream faience ridge tiles. Wrought-iron railings. Free Baroque
style.
One storey, 4 windows. 3-bay centre has wide-swept steps up to
renewed door and overlight, recessed between narrow pilasters
which support entablature. Paired windows flanking door have
Ionic shafts on moulded sills to leaded lights; foundation
stones below name architect and officials. Wide pilasters
define bays, the central 3 with recessed fascia, the ends
gabled with open pediments. Aproned corbels on pilasters
support heavy modillioned cornice, breaking forward at
pilasters which rise to form corniced piers of central
blocking course, and continuing along pediments which contain
long Diocletian windows. Brick projections below end windows
carry ashlar aprons to moulded sills; lugged architraves rise
to wreath-carved triple keystones.
Spike-headed railings, principals paired with swept finials
and linked by crossed arcs, run from plinth of end pilasters,
along forecourt, and curve up steps to entrance.
The Corporation was offered »10,000 by Carnegie for 2
libraries; with this sum 3 were built, the others being West
branch (Kayll Road (qv)) and Hendon.
(Corfe T: The Buildings of Sunderland 1814-1914: Newcastle:
1983-: 31; Monkwearmouth Memories: Sunderland: 1989-: 3).

Listing NGR: NZ4001458032

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26502240

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)