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The former Manchester Law Library at 14 Kennedy Street in
Designed by Thomas Hartas, the library was built by William Holt between 1884 and 1885 to provide a meeting place, and reading room, for the Manchester Law Society. The building has a fine Venetian Gothic façade, "three bays, each divided into three again with richly traceried and strongly moulded frames to the openings". Internally, a lending library is located on the ground floor, "now with twentieth century furnishings. On the first floor, a reading room "with most of the (slightly rearranged) attractive, original fittings." These include the central oak table, three fireplaces, and tall bookcases, some set at right angles to the walls to maximise the available storage space. The "stained glass is a noteworthy feature (including) three
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
, England, is a Grade II* listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...
building in the Venetian Gothic style. The building is notable as having housed the oldest provincial law library in England. Its architect, Thomas Hartas, is little known, and the former law library appears to be his only major building. In 2015 the Manchester Incorporated Law Library Society sold the premises, and moved to new offices on Booth Street.
History and description
Designed by Thomas Hartas, the library was built by William Holt between 1884 and 1885 to provide a meeting place, and reading room, for the Manchester Law Society. The building has a fine Venetian Gothic façade, "three bays, each divided into three again with richly traceried and strongly moulded frames to the openings". Internally, a lending library is located on the ground floor, "now with twentieth century furnishings. On the first floor, a reading room "with most of the (slightly rearranged) attractive, original fittings." These include the central oak table, three fireplaces, and tall bookcases, some set at right angles to the walls to maximise the available storage space. The "stained glass is a noteworthy feature (including) three roundel
A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of differ ...
s containing the images of bewigged judges". Offices are above this. "The building is noteworthy by virtue of having been built for the purposes of a law library and, London and the old universities aside, it is believed to have performed this function for a period longer than any other provincial law library".
Hartas (1854–1886) is a little-known, and sparsely-documented, architect. He was born in Mansfield
Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of the Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area and the second largest settlement in Nottinghamshire (following the city ...
, Nottinghamshire and trained as a surveyor. He had moved to Manchester by 1876, and died ten years later in Barmouth
Barmouth (formal ; colloquially ) is a seaside town and community in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales; it lies on the estuary of the Afon Mawddach and Cardigan Bay. Located in the historic county of Merionethshire, the Welsh form of t ...
, North Wales. With the exception of the law library, his output appears confined to villa
A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...
s in Nottinghamshire and the North West, mainly undertaken for friends or relations. He has no entry in the RIBA
''Riba'' (, or , ) is an Arabic word used in Islamic law and roughly translated as " usury": unjust, exploitative gains made in trade or business. ''Riba'' is mentioned and condemned in several different verses in the Qur'an3:130
''Directory of British Architects 1834–1914'' an exhaustive survey of practising architects of the Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
. The library, Hartas' only major building, is Grade II* listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...
.
In 2015 the building was put up for sale. The law library relocated to new premises on Booth Street where it remains a private library open only to subscribing members of the legal profession.
See also
*Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
There are 238 Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester, England. In the United Kingdom, the term listed building refers to a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural si ...
* Listed buildings in Manchester-M2
Notes
References
* * * *External links
* {{Authority control Grade II* listed buildings in Manchester Libraries in Manchester Library buildings completed in 1885 Law libraries in the United Kingdom Gothic Revival architecture in Greater Manchester Venetian Gothic architecture in the United Kingdom