King Georges Hall

Details

The following buildings shall be added:- BLACKBURN 4/10019 BLAKEY MOOR SD6828SW 796- /4/10019 (North side) King George's Hall GV II

Public halls, now halls and cafe. 1913-21, by Brigg, Wolstenholme and Thornley, slightly altered. Sandstone ashlar, slate roof (concealed by parapet). Large rectangular plan on north-south axis, on corner site at junction of Northgate with Blakey Moor. Classical style. Three storeys and attic, 1:3:1 bays, symmetrical, with cavetto corners, the ground floor forming a rustic and the two principal floors designed as a giant order; and the 3-bay centre with a set-in loggia at ground floor and a set-in colonnade of 4 pairs of Corinthian columns above; with a frieze and modillioned cornice carried round the whole, parapets to the outer bays, and a blocking course to the centre (behind which is a taller parapet to the attic storey). The ground floor has a plinth, boldly modelled channelled rustication, an arcade of 3 round-headed arches to the centre with run-out voussoirs, in each outer bay a round-headed blank arch with cavetto reveal containing a square-headed doorway with a moulded architrave and cornice, and a moulded cornice carried round. On the upper floors the centre has 3 tall windows with corniced architraves, and bulls-eye windows above these with carved surrounds, while the outer bays each have broad panelled giant pilasters framing a window in an architrave of Tuscan semi-columns with triglyph entablature and mutule cornice surmounted by a large aedicule with figure supporters emblematic of war (to the right) and peace (to the left). The right-hand return facade (to Northgate), is a symmetrical 3:5:3 window composition: the centre has 3 large round-headed arches like those at the front, flanked by segmental-headed windows with triple keystones, and at 1st floor 3 tall windows with Tuscan architraves surmounted by putti supporting bulls-eye windows, flanked by smaller windows with simpler architraves; the outer bays, breaking forwards slightly, have segmental-headed windows set low at ground floor, with triple keystones, and square windows above these, while the upper floors have giant Corinthian semi-columns distyle in antis framing tall corniced windows at 1st floor and square windows above (but that at the right-hand end now has a glazed link-bridge entering the centre window at 1st floor). All these windows have margin panes. INTERIOR: very large main hall at 1st floor, almost square, with 3-sided balcony projected from side aisles formed by large piers with panelled pilasters and egg-and-dart cornices, and carried round south end; continuous dentilled cornice to side walls, coving to segmental-arched ceiling; very large suspended 3-stage cylindrical glass lamps; stage at north end with fine full-width oak organ case in Wren style presented by two aldermen in memory of their sons and other Blackburn sons fallen of the World War 1914-18. Hall on lower floor recently altered by insertion of cafe at balcony level. Forms group with Police Station and Magistrates Courts linked to north end of Northgate facade (q.v.).

Listing NGR: SD6804228198

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

418831

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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