Swinburne Street, Public Library

The former Public Library. 1885 by John Johnstone. Ashlar in an extravagant neo-
baroque style. Welsh slate roof. Two storeys and attic, five bays, the central
bay projecting under a shaped, pedimented gable with round-arched attic windows.
Flanking broken serpentine pediments have round windows, urn finials and carved
swags. Urns rest on parapet at ends and between gables. Heavy entablatures to
both floors, resting on end pilasters and (on first floor) paired pilasters between
windows. Carved friezes. Flat arched first floor windows, the central tripartite
and breaking the pediment of the entrance, which rests on two heavy carved brackets.
Ground floor openings round arched with archivolts, key stones with masks and
impost string; nook shafts to door. Ground floor rusticated with sunk apron panels.

Included partly for group interest with the remaining municipal buildings on
Swinburne Street-West Street. LISTED GRADE 2