The Rolls Hall, Monmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Rolls Hall |
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The Rolls Hall, currently the site of Monmouth Library
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| General information | |
| Address | Whitecross Street |
| Town or city | Monmouth |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°48′47.8″N 2°42′42.8″W / 51.813278°N 2.711889°W |
| Completed | 1888 |
| Cost | £8,000 |
| Client | John Rolls |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | F.A.Powell |
| Designations | Grade II listed |
The Rolls Hall is a beautiful old building in Monmouth, Wales. It was built during the time of Queen Victoria. Today, it's a public library where you can find many books. A kind man named John Rolls gave this hall to the town. He wanted to celebrate Queen Victoria's 50 years as queen. The hall is also a special "Grade II listed building." This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. It's also part of the Monmouth Heritage Trail, which highlights important places in the town.
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Building the Rolls Hall
The Rolls Hall was built between 1887 and 1888. The architect, or designer, was F. A. Powell. He designed the building in a style called "Jacobean." This style was popular in England a long time ago, with features like grand windows and fancy decorations. The building was made from strong materials like red sandstone and smooth stone blocks.
The Rolls family, who lived nearby at a place called The Hendre, were very important landowners. They often gave money and gifts to help the town of Monmouth. John Rolls, who later became Lord Llangattock, gave the hall to the town. It cost about £8,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then! The building officially opened on May 24, 1888.
Early Uses of the Hall
After it opened, the Rolls Hall was used for many different things. In 1889, a new organ was put in. An organ is a very large musical instrument, like a giant keyboard with many pipes. The next year, some paintings were added to decorate the hall.
In September 1890, a big art and industry show was held there. People could see many beautiful artworks and new inventions. You can even see the old list of items from this show at the Monmouth Museum today. From 1897 to 1903, the hall was also used for plays. A famous actor and director named Ben Greet put on many shows there.
From Organ to Nightclub
The organ in the hall didn't last forever. In 1963, someone checked the organ and said it was broken. Water had damaged parts of it, and it was falling apart. Even though this was reported in the local newspaper, the organ stayed in place for at least three more years.
After that, the Rolls Hall changed its purpose again. It was used as a dance hall where people could come and dance. Later, it even became a nightclub!
The Rolls Hall as a Library
In 1992, the Rolls Hall found its current purpose: it became Monmouth's public library. Before this, the library was in another building called the Shire Hall.
The library got a big makeover in 2010. It received a lot of money, about £210,000, to make it modern and welcoming. This money came from a special grant and from the local council.
Inside the library, you can still see reminders of its history. Large paintings of John Rolls, his wife, and his son hang on one wall. These are the people who helped create the hall. There's also a special floor design that used to be on the floor. It shows the symbols of the Rolls family and the town of Monmouth linked together. Now, this design is displayed on a wall.
QRpedia and MonmouthpediA
In 2012, the library became part of an exciting project called "MonmouthpediA." This project aimed to give visitors information about everything in Monmouth. The library staff put special codes called "QRpedia codes" on each bookcase.
You can scan these codes with a smartphone or tablet. When you scan them, they take you to a Wikipedia page with information about the books or the authors. The staff also put these codes inside many books, linking directly to information about the book's author. It's a cool way to learn more about what you're reading!
