Acton Public Library
ACTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1390680
- Date first listed:
- 20-Nov-2003
- List Entry Name:
- Acton Public Library
- Statutory Address:
- ACTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1390680
- Date first listed:
- 20-Nov-2003
- List Entry Name:
- Acton Public Library
- Statutory Address 1:
- ACTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
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:
- ACTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Ealing (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 20271 80044
Details
962/0/10086 Acton Public Library 20-NOV-03
GV II Public Library. 1898-1900 by Maurice B Adams for Passmore Edwards. Red brick with Bath stone dressings, bandings and carvings, slate roof. Two storeys. The range on the east side was originally one stoerey, with later first-floor addition. The High Street façade is remarkable. Two projecting two-storey bays with open segmental pediments anchor the bases of a dramatic gable surmounted by a chimney. The entrance is in the eastern bay, and is itself surmounted by a two carved consoles in the form an atlante and a caryatid. Cartouche above, with scrolled and shouldered surround inscribed 'PASSMORE EDWARDS PUBLIC LIBRARY; the equivalent on the western bay reads 'BOROUGH OF ACTON'. Ionic columns flank triple-arched windows; pediments contain strapwork cartouches with garlands. Gable enriched with scroil-flanked oeil-de-boeuf window below arched recess set on cherub's head and scroll bracket. Large scrolls also to base and apex of gable. Mullion and transom windows. Arched doorway in westernmost bay was former entrance to Librarian's accommodation on first floor, now adapted as reference library.
One of the most picturesque library designs, with an unusually large amount of well-executed decorative arcing, by the most prolific designer of public libraries. One of the fifteen public libraries in London paid for by John Passmore Edwards, one of the great philanthropists of the library movement and proprietor of the Building News, edited by Maurice B Adams. This library forms an important civic group with the adjoining town hall. The interior and side elevations are of lesser interest: what is really important about this building is its exceptionally sculptural façade.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 491160
- 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 23-Jul-2026 at 15:37:18.
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.