View source for Barry Council Office and Library

{{short description|Municipal Building in Barry, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Historic Site
| name = Barry Council Office and Library
| native_name =Swyddfa a Llyfrgell y Cyngor Barri
|native_language=cy
| image =Barry Council Office and Library.JPG
| caption =Barry Town Hall with Library to the right
| locmapin =Wales Vale of Glamorgan
| map_caption =Shown in Vale of Glamorgan
| coordinates ={{coord|51.4067|-3.2666|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location =[[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan|Barry]]
| area =
| built =1908
| architect = Charles E. Hutchinson and E. Harding Payne
| architecture =[[Edwardian Baroque architecture|Edwardian Baroque style]]
| governing_body =
| designation1 =Grade II Listed Building
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date =21 August 1979
| designation1_number =13404
| website=
}}
'''Barry Council Office and Library''' ({{langx|cy|Swyddfa a Llyfrgell y Cyngor Barri}}) is a local government building and public library located in [[King Square, Barry|King Square]], [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan|Barry]], Wales. The building, which was once the meeting place of Barry Municipal Borough Council, is a Grade II [[listed building]].<ref name=nhaw>{{NHAW|num=13404|desc=Barry Council Office and Library|access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref>

==History==
The first lending library in Barry was opened in 1890, at 144 Holton Road.<ref name="tomclemett">{{cite web| url=http://www.barrywales.co.uk/tomclemett/townhall.asp| title=Barry Town Hall & Library| publisher=Tom Clemett's History of Barry| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828042211/http://www.barrywales.co.uk/tomclemett/townhall.asp| archive-date=2008-08-28}}</ref> It later moved to a three-storey house on the Square, with the ground floor used as a reading room, the lending library on the second floor and caretaker's rooms on the top floor.<ref name="tomclemett"/> Following the formation of Barry Urban District Council in 1895,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.glamorgan-gem.co.uk/article.cfm?id=107436&headline=Barry%20man%20who%20served%20in%20every%20civic%20office.%20%20Local%20historian%20Laurie%20Owen%20continues%20his%20look%20at%20Barry%20in%20the%20past.&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2016|title=Barry man who served in every civic office. Local historian Laurie Owen continues his look at Barry in the past.|date=12 September 2016|publisher=The Glamorgan Gem|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> civic leaders decided that this arrangement was inadequate and chose to procure a purpose-built combined council office and public library complex. The site they selected was the old Maes-y-cwm Quarry, which had been excavated in 1900.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/15279832.from-the-archives-barrys-town-hall-remains-unfinished/|title=Barry's town hall remains unfinished|date=11 May 2017|publisher=Barry and District News|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/15797920.barry-town-clock-inside-the-tower-set-to-herald-the-new-year-in-barry/|title=Barry Town Clock: Inside the tower set to herald the New Year in Barry|date=29 December 2017|publisher=Barry and District News|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref>

In 1903 the council applied to the [[Andrew Carnegie]] Trust for a grant to establish a purpose-built public library. The trust awarded a grant of £8,000.<ref name="tomclemett" /> Following a design competition, Charles E. Hutchinson and E. Harding Payne of London were selected to design the building in the [[Edwardian Baroque architecture|Edwardian Baroque style]].<ref name=nhaw/> After the first stage of construction, the public library was officially opened by the [[Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth|Earl of Plymouth]] on 1 March 1906. Following a second stage of construction, the council office was officially opened by the chairman of the council, Mr W.J. Williams, on 22 April 1908.<ref name="tomclemett" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://papuraunewydd.llyfrgell.cymru/view/4610873/4610878|title=Barry: New Public Offices|date=24 April 1908|publisher=Barry Dock News|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> A further expansion to the rear of the new building was planned but never executed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/15279832.FROM_THE_ARCHIVES__Barry_s_town_hall_remains_unfinished/ |title=From the archives: Barry's town hall remains unfinished|publisher=Barry and District News|date=11 May 2017|access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref>

== Architecture ==
The design involved a broadly symmetrical frontage with fifteen bays facing King Square. The central section featured a round-headed window on the ground floor and a [[clock tower]] above. The left hand section, comprising the council office, featured a round-headed doorway on the ground floor flanked by paired full height [[Ionic order]] columns, a [[Venetian window]] on the first floor and an open segmental [[pediment]] containing a [[cartouche]] flanked by female figures above. The right hand section, comprising the public library, featured a round-headed doorway on the ground floor flanked by full height paired Ionic order [[pilaster]]s, a square window flanked by two narrow windows on the first floor, four small square windows on the attic floor and a pediment above.<ref name="nhaw" />

== Usage ==
The council office was established as the meeting place of Barry Urban District Council and, from 1939, of Barry Municipal Borough Council,. It briefly continued to be the local seat of government after [[Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council]] was formed in 1974.<ref>Stewart Williams (Ed.), [https://books.google.com/books?id=TC-AAAAAIAAJ&q=%22South+Glamorgan+County+Council%22 ''The Cardiff Book: Volume I.''], Stewart Williams Publishers (1973), p. 8. {{ISBN|0-900807-05-9}}.</ref> The council then moved to new civic offices in Holton Road in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bridgend-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=111738&headline=Jeff%20James%20reflects%20on%2038%20years%E2%80%99%20service%20for%20Rhoose%20and%20Vale&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2017|title=Jeff James reflects on 38 years' service for Rhoose and Vale|date=26 January 2017|publisher=The Bridgend and Pawthcawl GEM|access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref>

After the public library moved to temporary facilities at the town's leisure centre in 2001, a major refurbishment of the whole complex was carried out.<ref name="tomclemett" /> The work, which included a new wing for the public library, was completed in time for an official opening by the Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan, Nic Hodges, on 4 January 2007.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.puddleglumsrest.org.uk/charles/library/newlib.html| title=New Library in Barry|access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref> The refurbishment of the complex cost £371,000, £124,000 more than had been budgeted, leading to requests for an inquiry in February 2008.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/vale-glamorgan-news/2008/02/15/inquiry-into-cost-of-new-barry-library-91466-20477932/| title=Inquiry into cost of new Barry library| author=Peter Collins| publisher=[[South Wales Echo]] | date=15 February 2008|access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Barry, Vale of Glamorgan}}
{{Government buildings in Wales}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barry Council Office And Library}}
[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1908]]
[[Category:Carnegie libraries in Wales]]
[[Category:Domes in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Libraries in Wales]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan]]
[[Category:Clock towers in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in the Vale of Glamorgan]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in Wales]]
[[Category:City and town halls in Wales]]
[[Category:Government buildings with domes]]