| Description | Former Wakefield City Museum, Wakefield. 1820 21
'1820 21 building of sandstone ashlar. Two tall storeys, five bays. Plinth, rusticated ground floor to 1st floor band on which rest paired Ionic angle pilasters and half columns dividing bays. These support entablature below hipped roof of graduated Welsh slate. Sash windows with glazing bars (mostly replaced) those on 1st floor in narrow architraves with cornices and apron panels. Incised letters in frieze; MECHANICS' INSTITUTION. Modern central doorway. Returns have three grouped windows on each floor, framed in Ionic orders. Rear elevation to Tammy Hall Street is stuccoed in Regency style. 2 storeys and basement with a low mezzanine having blank window panels. Windows arranged 3:3:3, central ones in round bow. Sash windows with glazing bars, (curved on plan in bows) mostly replaced. Another bow on south end. Wrought iron spearhead area railings with urn finials at intervals'.
(English Heritage listed building description. Date listed 30/03/1971. http://list.english heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1259120. Web site accessed 12/12/2013).
The City Museum was the subject of an archaeological assessment by Elizabeth Chamberlin (WYAAS) in 2012. This was undertaken in order to write a specification for building recording ( in connection with Wakefield Council planning reference number 12/00499/LBC. 'Alterations to existing building (formerly museum) to enable its reuse as a performing arts centre'. Dated March 2012). The photographic images produced by the assessment are held in the WYAAS digital image archives (Chamberlin, E. (WYAAS). 2012).
Chamberlin described the building as a grade II* listed building, a designated heritage asset of the highest significance. The buildings date from 1821, when it was constructed for the citizens of Wakefield as Public Rooms, including a library, News Room and Assembly Room. The basement of the public rooms also contained public baths and a dispensary and apothecary's shop. The former assembly room and music salon runs across the entire width of the north eastern side of the building facing onto Wood Street. The Public Rooms were taken over by the Mechanics' Institute within 25 years of its construction. In 1882 the building underwent major alterations, including alterations to the basement and plunge pool (which was removed or infilled). Evidence relating to the use of the basement as Public Baths may survive beneath the existing 20th century timber sprung floor. In recent years, the Public Rooms have functioned as Wakefield's Museum.
(Chamberlin, E. (WYAS). 2012. 'Wakefield. Public Room and Assembly Room. Later museum'). |