Old Library, Grade II* listed building in Bristol, England.
The Old Library features an early Georgian Palladian design with a five-window front, fluted Composite columns, and a central pediment on King Street.
Built between 1738 and 1740, the building initially functioned as a council house before becoming one of England's earliest public libraries in 1613.
The library welcomed notable users including Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, while also housing one of England's first public fossil collections from 1779.
The structure maintains its original architectural elements under Grade II* protection, requiring specific permissions for any modifications or restorations.
The building contained an ornate oak overmantel, believed to be carved by Grinling Gibbons, before its contents moved to the new Central Library in 1906.
Location: City of Bristol
Inception: 1740
GPS coordinates: 51.45190,-2.59556
Latest update: March 5, 2025 03:53
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