Carnegie Buildings

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A gabled red brick building of two storeys with a scolloped parapet to the projecting entrance bay and a domed ventilator turret to the roof

Main entrance faces south. Entrance front of three bays comprising a gabled bay two-windows wide to each side of a projecting flat roofed entrance bay. Roofs of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, red terracotta ridge tiles; metal ventilator turret of tapering profile, octagon plan on lead dressed base, with wide overhanging octagonal roof domed to apex, surmounted by tall finial, all original. Walls of red brick with red sandstone copings to gables. Entrance doorway segmental arched in red sandstone with projecting semi-circular hood moulding flat at extremities and resting on a red sandstone pilaster to each side. Two concrete steps up to front doorway contained by low red brick plinths later cement rendered, cracks to both plinths revealing brickwork. Rectangular timber dark stained double doors, six panels each leaf, set in moulded timber door frame with two-panel segmental wooden tympanum above; original scrolling metal lamp attached to tympanum. Doorcase extended up into dated inscription panel in red sandstone flanked by scrolling sandstone brackets: inscription reads ‘Carnegie Free Library 1905’; panel surmounted by red sandstone string course acting as cill for semi-circular brick arched window above; window divided into small panes by timber transom and three mullions; thin wooden glazing bars. Arch of lunette has rusticated brick voussoirs at regular intervals with red sandstone keystone, all extending to edges of the rectangular panel between red brick pilasters at extremities of entrance bay and cornice above. Red brick dentils to cornice with oversailing moulded red sandstone cornice above, surmounted by red brick parapet in two lengths between three short piers with scolloped profile to sandstone coping.

Sides of projecting entrance bay similar style to front: three rectangular windows to each ground floor, timber fixed lights in plate glass with red sandstone cills and large continuous red sandstone heads, set within segmental arched brick recess; red terracotta string course over. In first floor to each side, a circular window, timber frame, divided into 12 panes, set in brickwork with alternating rusticated and elongated voussoirs; red sandstone keystone. Circular cast iron downpipe from polygonal hopper in angle of side walls of entrance bay with main front walls of building.

Gabled bays to each side behind entrance bay contain two windows each floor. Segmental headed timber, to ground floor, divided by a transom and central mullion into 8 over 2, all fixed; red sandstone cills, segmental brick arched heads, brick reveals. Red terracotta string course at first floor level, and at cill level of first floor. First floor windows similar to ground floor but segmental headed arches surmounted by patterned brick tympana set within stilted semi-circular arched recesses. Between recesses, high in each gable, a blind ocular brick panel filled with patterned brickwork. To outer extremity of each gabled front bay, a buttress pier in red brick extending through two storeys, topped with red sandstone cornice on brick dentils, with brick blocking courses above. Red sandstone copings to gables.

West elevation: two-storey, gabled, with two windows each floor, with central bay flanked by two-storey red brick pilasters. Wall treatment similar to entrance front. Windows similar to each gabled bay of main front except upper windows rectangular with transom and mullion, divided by glazing bars into 12 over 2, surmounted by semi-circular fixed pane within semi-circular brick arched opening. To right and left of windows, in angle with brick pilasters, a circular section cast iron downpipe, the one to left discharging onto roof of hipped single-storey projection to rear of building. At left hand extremity of gable above blocking course over pilaster, a red brick chimney of rectangular section, red brick projecting string and cornice. Below chimney, to left hand extremity of main wall, a circular cast iron downpipe.

Projecting to left hand side of main wall, single-storey building to rear; hipped roof as main roofs. West side of projection: moulded cast iron gutter carried on shaped projecting rafter ends, with circular cast iron downpipe; moulded timber fascia to swept hipped roof to right. Three rectangular timber windows set in segmental brick heads; centre window 8 over 2, fixed, as previous; narrower flanking windows each 4 over 1, fixed. To right, a circular timber window in brick surround, divided horizontally into a bottom hung toplight over a fixed light, 2 over 2.

North elevation: two-storey rear wall of main block behind projecting single-storey rear block. Main block has hipped roof as previous, with ventilator turret centrally positioned; roof behind full width red brick parapet wall with red brick chimney at each extremity; rectangular section, moulded as previous, with scrolling red sandstone brackets to each side at base of each stack; one terracotta pot to left hand chimney. Red sandstone cornice returns to each side from main side elevations at top of two-storey brick end piers. Brick segmental arched windows, rectangular fixed lights, 8 over 2 as previous, symmetrically arranged across first floor of rear wall. Lower rear block has hipped roof, slated as previous; moulded cast iron gutter on projecting rafter ends; two circular section cast iron downpipes. Four windows, 8 over 2, in segmental brick openings, as previous, regularly spaced across rear block with segmental arched doorway and one narrow window, 4 over 1, detailed as previous, to the left. Door faced with later flush ply boarding, no handles, below plain fanlight. To right hand extremity, a low red brick wall projects, returning across face of rear block to contain concrete steps down to basement; basement door ledged timber, original, with open vent panel at top closed by iron grille. Original curvilinear iron light bracket mounted on wall above steps, but globe shade broken off.

East elevation of building similar to west including projecting single-storey rear block.

Setting: the building stands on its own in an elevated position on a corner site facing a main road in the built-up area of the town. It has grassed areas to each side, with shrubs in flower beds against the walls, surrounded by later concrete paths; modern tubular metal railings line the long path to the east; original tubular metal railings line the steps to the front extending from main entrance piers up to turned posts at the top just before entrance doorway.

Boundary to south and west is formed by a basalt rubble wall, with mature hedge growing behind it, curving around the corner. In line with main entrance is a pair of red brick gate piers, with pilaster-like projection in centre of each face; red terracotta string course; red sandstone weathered cap. Pair of pedestrian gates in ornamentally treated wrought iron, original. To right hand extremity of front boundary, a single red brick pier as previous, abutted by a pair of basalt rubble piers containing a pair of similar original iron gates. Boundary walling to west terminates at rear of site with a pair of red brick piers as previous, but containing timber slatted gate presumably a later replacement for an original iron gate now missing; low red brick walls project back from piers to contain concrete steps up to rear of building. Boundary to north is low basalt rubble wall. Boundary to east is wire fencing on concrete posts.

Historical information

Designed in 1904 by Nicholas Fitzsimons, architect of Larne; opened 2nd April 1906 by Col. J.M. McCalmont MP.

References - Primary

1. Irish Builder, 3 December 1904, p 826 (notice of invitation to tender).
2. Larne Times, 7 April 1906, supplement.

Secondary

1. P. Larmour, An Edwardian Stylist (Nicholas Fitzsimons 1869-c 1945), in Perspective (The Journal of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects), Vol 4 No 3, January/February 1996, pp 59-61.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

This prominently sited building, designed by an important Irish architect, is an example of Edwardian ‘Free Style’ architecture, of distinct proportions and plan form, with some characteristic details including Art Nouveau tiling to the interior. It retains all its original features, and despite a few changes, survives largely intact.