A look around Monmouth in Monmouthshire - the county town of the county.

On Whitecross Street in Monmouth.

Monmouth Library - The Rolls Hall.

Grade II listed building.

<a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-85213-monmouth-public-library-formerly-rolls-ha#.VYxsXkaC8Xw" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Monmouth Public Library (formerly Rolls Hall), Monmouth</a>

   Location
   On the street continuing Church Street east out of the town centre.

   History
   It was built in 1887 as a general purpose hall for concerts and meetings as a gift to the town by J A Rolls, Lord Llangattock, to celebrate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria. It continued in this use until 1992 when it was converted to be Monmouth Public Library.

   Interior
   The plan is an auditorium with offices to the front and a stage and dressing rooms to the rear. Only the main spaces were seen at resurvey (August 2004). Five bay hall with the stage in a sixth bay and a proscenium arch. The bays are separated by giant banded Ionic pilasters, with bands of plaster decoration crossing the ceiling on the beams. Circular windows in the upper walls. It has been little altered by its conversion to public library, with the elaborate lighting system and the shelving all readily removable.

   Exterior
   Rusticated grey/buff sandstone ashlar ground floor with roughly squared red sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings above. Hall plan with gable end to street forming the principal elevation. Mild Jacobean character. Two storeys with three bay central gable and an additional bay on either side. The ground floor has a central entrance with carved stone doorway framed by paired plain pilasters, 6 over 6 pane sash window on either side. Large central triple window in pilastered oriel carried on large stone brackets on first floor, 6 over 1 pane sash flanked by 4 over 1 pane ones. The cornice carries right across and the oriel is flanked by carved panels with the coats-of-arms of Monmouth and of Lord Llangattock, the donor. Wide gable above with central Jacobean style feature with circular window surrounded by strapwork and with pilaster finials. Plain coped gable above. The left hand bay is set slightly forward and has two 6 over 6 pane sashes on the ground floor and two 2 over 1 pane ones above. Balustraded parapets with ball finialled corners. Above this a lead spire with vents to each face and a weathervane on the apex. The right hand bay is canted forward and has tripartite sashes on either floor. Much plainer long and more altered side elevation. Rear elevation not seen.

   Reason for Listing
   Included for its special architectural interest as a late Victorian public building of definite character situated to the east of the town centre.

   References
   John Newman, The Buildings of Wales, Gwent/Monmouthshire, Penguin, 2000, p 408.
   Keith Kissack, Monmouth and its Buildings, Logaston Press, 2003, p 64.

This text is a legacy record and has not been updated since the building was originally listed. Details of the building may have changed in the intervening time. You should not rely on this listing as an accurate description of the building. Notes:

   On the street continuing Church Street east out of the town centre.

Source: Cadw

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.