Tate Library
TATE LIBRARY, BRIXTON OVAL
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1387287
- Date first listed:
- 27-May-1999
- List Entry Name:
- Tate Library
- Statutory Address:
- TATE LIBRARY, BRIXTON OVAL
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-06-27
- Reference:
- IOE01/15479/31
- Rights:
- © Miss Mitzi de Margary. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1387287
- Date first listed:
- 27-May-1999
- List Entry Name:
- Tate Library
- Statutory Address 1:
- TATE LIBRARY, BRIXTON OVAL
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.
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- TATE LIBRARY, BRIXTON OVAL
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Lambeth (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 31063 75251
Details
TQ 3175 BRIXTON OVAL
Tate Library
963/18/10082
GV II
Public library. 1892 by Sidney R.J. Smith, endowed by Henry Tate. Free Renaissance manner. Red brick and Portland and Beer stone, slate roofs. Symmetrical two storey seven bays. Central pedimented entrance bay in stone of superimposed orders of paired columns the third order carrying pediment above roof line. Paired doors panelled as an aedicule. Flanking piers and spandrels to entrance arch heavily enriched. Upper storeys break forward with small balustraded balcony. Outer bays and right return pedimented, supported at upper floor on diminishing pilasters, with tripartite window under complex arches. Similar windows in simpler architraves to central bays. Ground floor of rusticated brick on deep stone plinth. Tripartite windows under simple brick arches. Stone storey band. Left return tripartite window with arched heads, small leaded panes, some with armorial glass. Hipped slate roof on carved brackets, grotesque animal gargoyles feeding into rainwater pipes. Small central timber cupola. Lower simpler two storey rear bay. Attached iron railings to front and right return. Interior. Grand staircase with iron balustrade to upper floor reference library running across the front of the building. Cornice embellished with shell like brackets, also on stair window architrave. Clerestory lunettes on rear wall of reference room. Ground floor formerly newspaper room to right, magazine room to left, lending library to rear. Some suspended ceilings. Stone tablet, dated 1892, commemorating Henry Tate. Bronze medallion of King Alfred, dated 1901, commemorating Queen Victoria.
A Survey of Pre-War Libraries in London, R.Bowdler, S.Brindle, 1992 Pre 1940 Public Libraries in London, R.Bowdler, S.Brindle, E. Harwood, 1992, updated 1994 The Architect. January 13,1893
Listing NGR: TQ3106775255
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 475229
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
The Architect in January 13, (1893)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jun-2026 at 03:00:14.
Download a full scale map (PDF)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.