Manchester Law Library

Manchester Law Library

Manchester Law Library is a Grade II* listed building^[1] in the Venetian Gothic^[2] style at 14 Kennedy Street, Manchester. "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".^[3]

Designed by Thomas Hartas,^[2] the library was built by William Holt between 1884 and 1885^[3] to provide a meeting place, and reading room, for the Manchester Law Society. The building has a fine Venetian Gothic facade, "three bays, each divided into three again with richly traceried and strongly moulded frames to the openings".^[2] Internally, a lending library is located on the ground floor, "now with twentieth century furnishings.^[2]

Reading Room

On the first floor, a reading room "with most of the (slightly rearranged) attractive, original fittings."^[4] 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 roundels containing the images of bewigged judges".^[3] Offices are above this.

Thomas Hartas is an elusive architect. The Manchester Incorporated Law Library Society website describes him as "famous"^[5] although it is hard to determine from whence his fame derives as the Library appears to be his only documented building. The Library is a private library open only to members of the legal profession.

Notes

1. ^ http://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-388224-manchester-law-library-14-manchester
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Nikolaus Pevsner The Buildings of England - Lancashire: Manchester and the South East; p. 315
3. ^ ^{a b c} D. J. Higginson, The Manchester Law Library: a Short History 1820-1885
4. ^ Clare Hartwell, Pevsner Architectural Guides: Manchester; p. 161
5. ^ "The Manchester Incorporated Law Library Society - History". manchester-law-library.co.uk. http://www.manchester-law-library.co.uk/. Retrieved 6 October 2010. 

References

• Higginson, D. J. The Manchester Law Library: a Short History 1820-1885 (March 2007) published by the Manchester Law Society
• Pevsner, Nikolaus; Hartwell, Clare & Hyde, Matthew, The Buildings of England: Lancashire - Manchester and the South East (2004) Yale University Press
• Hartwell, Clare Pevsner Architectural Guides: Manchester (2001) Yale University Press

External links

• The Manchester Incorporated Law Library Society

Coordinates: 53°28′48″N 2°14′37″W / 53.4799°N 2.2437°W / 53.4799; -2.2437