Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 26 September 2023 to amend the name and address and to reformat the text to current standards

TQ 3181 SW
61/7

CITY OF WESTMINSTER
CHANCERY LANE, WC2
Maughan Library (King's College London)

(Formerly listed as The Public Record Office)

9.1.70

G.V.
II*

Public building. Original part to east partly within City of London, Fetter Lane q.v., 1853-55 by Sir James Pennethorne, extended with frontage to Chancery Lane 1891-96 by Sir John Taylor including re-erected C13 archway of the Rolls Chapel. Pennethorne's work of Bath stone with lead roofs; Taylor's extension of Portland stone, both rock faced with ashlar dressings. Pennethorne's building is notable for its fire proof construction with individual modular document cells built of wrought iron with shallow arched brick vaults and cast iron girders; the elevations employing Perpendicular Gothic in very functional way; the Perpendicular style was continued by Taylor in a rather more elaborated fashion.

Symmetrical front to Chancery Lane with central archway in "gatehouse" and terminal polygonal turrets with stone ogee cupolas. Symmetrical east-west range with central "gatehouse" and square tower above, and a more asymmetrical range with polygonal turrets to Fetter Lane. The Pennethorne work distinguished by the sheer mullion-buttresses articulating the fully glazed window bays finished off with depressed triangular arches over the top floor below pierced parapet and crocketed finials. Similar details to Taylor extension but with closer net mullions dividing the lights. Part of the chancel arch of the demolished C13 Rolls Chapel re-erected against the rear of the Chancery Lane block at the south east end. Important Renaissance monuments from the chapel are now in the Record Office museum.

Listing NGR: TQ3121381287

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Maughan Library at Wikipedia
• The Maughan Library official website
• Wikidata Q1167115

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House