Library and Museum

LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, CHURCH STREET

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1283113
Date first listed:
07-Jul-1989
List Entry Name:
Library and Museum
Statutory Address:
LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, CHURCH STREET
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Location

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Date:
2002-09-13
Reference:
IOE01/04615/09
Rights:
© Ms Geraldine Bunn. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1283113
Date first listed:
07-Jul-1989
List Entry Name:
Library and Museum
Statutory Address 1:
LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, CHURCH STREET

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, CHURCH STREET

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
Mere
National Grid Reference:
ST 81152 32323

Details

ST 8032-8132 MERE CHURCH STREET (north side) 6/32 Library and Museum

GV II

Former National School, now Library and Museum. Dated 1839, enlarged 1892 Squared and coursed limestone rubble, slate roof. A single large space under a wide-span roof, enlarged by the addition of a classroom at the rear (north) in 1864; facilities were extended at the end of the Cl9 by providing the Grove Building (q.v.) on the other side of Barton Lane. There is a further flat- roofed extension of the C20. Front to street is 5 windows; 4 of these are large 4-light plain stone chamfer mullion to cusped heads and with stopped hoods, but centrally is a smaller 3-light above an oval panel in a keyed rectangular surround, inscribed in good cursive lettering: 'National School/Built 1839/ Enlarged/1892'. Return gable left has two 4-light as main front; the back has 4 high level windows similar to those on Church Street. Plinth to front returns left and dies into pavement. Deep eaves, coped gables, small brick gable stacks. Back wing has a 2-light casement with transome in the gable end, and a 2-light on return. Stone stack with brick shaft. Interior: windows have elliptical-rere-arches. Original roof trusses, but only the ties now visible (July 1986). A contemporary comment records that at the opening in 1839 '....between 3 and 400 (children) present were regaled with tea and cake'. An earlier school (q.v. The Chantry) was run for a while by William Barnes, the Dorset dialect poet

Listing NGR: ST8114732328

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
320160
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Library and Museum

Map

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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