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Address | Manchester Road Burnley England |
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Coordinates | 53°47′16″N 2°14′40″W / 53.7878°N 2.2445°W |
Type | Theatre |
Construction | |
Opened | 1855 |
Architect | James Green (1854–55) William Waddington (1888) |
Website | |
www | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Designated | 19 November 1997 |
Reference no. | 1244905 |
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. Historic England has designated the theatre a Grade II* listed building.
The Mechanics' Institute was built 1854–55 to a design by Todmorden architect James Green. Charles Towneley officially 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 Waddington 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 Historic England 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]
Burnley 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 Corinthian columns. [4]
![]() | |
Address | Manchester Road Burnley England |
---|---|
Coordinates | 53°47′16″N 2°14′40″W / 53.7878°N 2.2445°W |
Type | Theatre |
Construction | |
Opened | 1855 |
Architect | James Green (1854–55) William Waddington (1888) |
Website | |
www | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Designated | 19 November 1997 |
Reference no. | 1244905 |
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. Historic England has designated the theatre a Grade II* listed building.
The Mechanics' Institute was built 1854–55 to a design by Todmorden architect James Green. Charles Towneley officially 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 Waddington 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 Historic England 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]
Burnley 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 Corinthian columns. [4]