St George the Martyr Library

ST GEORGE THE MARTYR LIBRARY, 12, BOROUGH ROAD

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1378371
Date first listed:
17-Sept-1998
List Entry Name:
St George the Martyr Library
Statutory Address:
ST GEORGE THE MARTYR LIBRARY, 12, BOROUGH ROAD
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Date:
2001-09-26
Reference:
IOE01/05704/06
Rights:
© Mr David March. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1378371
Date first listed:
17-Sept-1998
List Entry Name:
St George the Martyr Library
Statutory Address 1:
ST GEORGE THE MARTYR LIBRARY, 12, BOROUGH ROAD

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:
ST GEORGE THE MARTYR LIBRARY, 12, BOROUGH ROAD

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

County:
Greater London Authority
District:
Southwark (London Borough)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ 31738 79494

Details

SOUTHWARK

TQ3179 BOROUGH ROAD 636-1/4/105 (North side) No.12 St George the Martyr Library

II

Library. 1897-1899 by CJ Phipps and Arthur Blomfield Jackson. For Passmore Edwards. Red brick and terracotta with a pitched, tiled roof. Art Nouveau style. PLAN: rectangular plan. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys over basement with dormer window to east side. The main front, with its double-height central porch, gives the impression of symmetry but the eastern half of the building incorporates an attic floor and this is reflected in the different spacings of the windows. The upper part of the porch is clad in terracotta and has a relief of St George slaying the dragon contained within the shaped gable. Below that is a large 2-light, trefoil-headed and traceried window which surmounts another elaborately modelled terracotta plaque with the words 'Passmore Edwards Public Library 1898' over the main entrance. Bronze plaque commemorating Sir William Molesworth by Sir George Frampton inside the porch. A similar plaque, in memory of Henry Austen Layard, the Assyriologist and also an MP for Southwark, was stolen in 1990. The whole ground floor is pilastered, the run of pilasters being terminated by corner buttresses ornamented by blind tracery above the eaves. Second segmental-arched entrance to right wing. Left return with shaped gable filled with shallow terracotta relief; range of motifs similar to those on the main elevation; broad segmental-arched and multi-light window with transoms filling virtually the whole return: leaded lights to upper windows, sashes to lower. Below wall pilastered between corner buttresses. Right return plainer, but still repeating shaped gable and traceried buttresses. INTERIOR: not inspected.



Listing NGR: TQ3173879494

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
470670
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 St George the Martyr Library

Map

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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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