Burnley Mechanics

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Burnley Mechanics
Location in Lancashire
City Burnley
Coordinates 53°47′16″N 2°14′40″W / 53.7878°N 2.2445°W / 53.7878; -2.2445Coordinates: 53°47′16″N 2°14′40″W / 53.7878°N 2.2445°W / 53.7878; -2.2445
Designation Listed building Grade II*
Architect James Green (1854–55)
William Waddington (1888)
Opened 1855
Website
www.burnleymechanics.co.uk/

The Burnley Mechanics is a theatre and former Mechanics' Institute in the market town of Burnley, Lancashire, England. It was built 1854–55 and converted to a theatre in 1979. English Heritage has designated the theatre a Grade II* listed building.

History

The Mechanics' Institute was built 1854–55 to a design by Todmorden architect James Green. Sir Charles Towneley opened the institute in 1855.[1] It was a club for "reading and discussion by an 'earnest few'".[2] As the town grew, the institute increasingly became a social and cultural community centre.[1] Architect William Waddingtone enlarged the building in 1888.[3] Burnley Borough Council bought the building in 1959 and leased it to companies for a variety of leisure purposes.[1][4] In 1979, the interior was reconstructed as a theatre.[3][4]

Burnley Mechanics was designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage on 29 September 1977.[3] The Grade II* designation—the second highest of the three grades—is for "particularly important buildings of more than special interest".[5] It is described by Hartwell and Pevsner as "one of Burnley's best buildings".[3] John Champness calls its façade "certainly the finest Classical façade in Burnley and among the very best of its date in the country".[6]

Architecture

Bunley Mechanics is built in the Palazzo style in sandstone ashlar.[3] Green's original construction is on a rectangular plan with five bays at the front; it is on two storeys.[4] The ground floor has Venetian-style windows with round, rusticated arches.[4] Waddington's extension at the rear of the building is on a slightly lower level.[4] Its design matches that of the rest of the building, but the newer windows have architraves with pilasters.[3]

On the second floor, there are central windows flanked by Corinthian columns and pilasters.[4] The entrances to the building have coupled Corintian columns.[4]

See also

References

Footnotes
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Burnley Mechanics — Outline", www.burnley.gov.uk (Burnley Borough Council), retrieved 13 June 2011 
  2. ↑ Tylecote, pp. 112–113
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 English Heritage, "Burnley Mechanics (1244905)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 13 June 2011 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Hartwell & Pevsner, pp. 180–181
  5. ↑ "Listed Buildings", National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), retrieved 13 June 2011 
  6. ↑ Champness, p. 134
Bibliography

External links

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