Barry Council Office and Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barry Council Office and Library |
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| Native name Swyddfa a Llyfrgell y Cyngor Barri | |
Barry Town Hall with Library to the right
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| Location | Barry |
| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | Charles E. Hutchinson and E. Harding Payne |
| Architectural style(s) | Edwardian Baroque style |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated | 21 August 1979 |
| Reference no. | 13404 |
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The Barry Council Office and Library (which is called Swyddfa a Llyfrgell y Cyngor Barri in Welsh) is a special building in King Square, Barry, Wales. It's where the local government used to work, and it's also a public library. This building is so important that it's a Grade II listed building, meaning it's protected because of its history and architecture.
Contents
History of the Building
How the Library Started
The very first library in Barry opened in 1890. It was a small place on Holton Road. Later, it moved to a three-story house. The ground floor was a reading room. The library was on the second floor.
In 1895, the local government, called the Barry Urban District Council, was formed. They decided the old library was too small. They wanted a new building that would hold both the council offices and a bigger public library. They chose a site where an old quarry used to be.
Building the New Home
In 1903, the council asked for money from the Andrew Carnegie Trust. Andrew Carnegie was a very rich businessman who gave lots of money to build libraries. The trust gave them £8,000 to build a new public library.
A competition was held to pick the best design. Charles E. Hutchinson and E. Harding Payne from London won. They designed the building in the Edwardian Baroque style. This style is grand and fancy, often seen in buildings from the early 1900s.
The library part of the building opened first. The Earl of Plymouth officially opened it on March 1, 1906. The council office part opened later, on April 22, 1908. Mr. W.J. Williams, who was the chairman of the council, opened it. There were plans to make the building even bigger, but it never happened.
What the Building Looks Like
The building faces King Square and has a very balanced look. In the middle, there's a round window on the ground floor. Above it, there's a clock tower.
On the left side, which was the council office, you can see a round doorway. It has tall, fancy columns on either side. Above that, there's a special window with three parts. Higher up, there's a triangular shape with a fancy carving in the middle.
On the right side, which was the public library, there's also a round doorway. It has flat, decorative columns next to it. Above that, there's a square window with two narrow windows on the sides. There are also four small square windows higher up.
Changes Over Time
The building was the main meeting place for the Barry Urban District Council. Later, from 1939, it became the home of the Barry Municipal Borough Council. Even after the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council was created in 1974, it was still used for a short time. However, in 1981, the Vale of Glamorgan Council moved to new offices.
In 2001, the public library moved to a temporary spot. This allowed for a big renovation of the entire building. The work included adding a new section for the library. The Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan, Nic Hodges, officially opened the newly refurbished building on January 4, 2007.
