Purley Library Including Forecourt Wall
PURLEY LIBRARY INCLUDING FORECOURT WALL, BANSTEAD ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1389315
- Date first listed:
- 01-Aug-2001
- List Entry Name:
- Purley Library Including Forecourt Wall
- Statutory Address:
- PURLEY LIBRARY INCLUDING FORECOURT WALL, BANSTEAD ROAD
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1389315
- Date first listed:
- 01-Aug-2001
- List Entry Name:
- Purley Library Including Forecourt Wall
- Statutory Address 1:
- PURLEY LIBRARY INCLUDING FORECOURT WALL, BANSTEAD 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.
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:
- PURLEY LIBRARY INCLUDING FORECOURT WALL, BANSTEAD ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Croydon (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ3113761692
Details
1005/0/10058
01-AUG-01
BANSTEAD ROAD
Purley
Purley Library, including forecourt walling
II
Public Library. Designed by the firm of Gold and Aldridge for Coulsdon and Purley UDC in Moderne style and opened in 1936. Built of brown facing bricks in Flemish bond with Guildstone re-constituted stone dressings with steel-framed windows of Crittall type and hipped pantiled roofs. The front range is divided into a Junior Library to the left and a Reference Library to the left with a central Lending Library to the rear flanked on one side by offices and toilets and on the other by a Local Studies Room. Front range of one storey: six windows. Tall windows with moulded architraves and keystones, the penultimate windows with keystones in the shape of five book spines. Above the central doorcase is a "bas relief" of a boy and girl drinking at the Fountain of Knowledge. Double doors with three panels and cast iron railings. Right side elevation has gable with one window, dedication tablet and ornate blank shield. . To the right is a section of lower elevation with eight top-opening casements and cambered doorcase with double oak doors with fielded panels. . Attached by a round-headed entrance to the right is a section of low boundary walling in brick incorporating two square gatepiers with ramped up parapet and cast iron overthrow with tapering square lamp which encloses a lawn at the front. Interior retains original oak glazed double doors, purpose-built adjustable oak shelving and lettering to the Reference Library. This firm also built libraries at Sanderstead, Coulsdon and Kenley.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 487957
- 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.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 20:04:05.
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.