Oldham Old Library takes next step to preserve history and return to former glory

The revamp of the old Central Library on Union Street continues to take shape.

Careful restoration of the Old Library, in the heart of Oldham's cultural quarter, has been ongoing since January 2022.

Taking to their social media, the library has recently shared behind-the-scenes pictures taken by the Heritage Libraries and Arts team.

“Some of us used to work in the building, and it was strange to see its interior stripped out, but interesting to see some of the original features uncovered, like the fireplace in the former librarian's office, the original heating vents, the painted plaster work and the ghost of the wooden parquet flooring.

“There's a lot still to do before the building is transformed into council offices and gallery space, but progress is happening,” the Facebook post added.

Oldham Council had earlier shared that the restoration would include replacing the roof - using the original tiles wherever possible - and cleaning the stone to bring it back to its former glory.

Preserving key historical features has been at the centre of the Old Library's restoration, including relief sculptures, which are carved structures or writing in the stonework. The east and west walls of the building feature a collection of carved stone heads, including inventor Samuel Crompton, playwright William Shakespeare, poet John Milton, composer George Frideric Handel, painter Raphael and naturalist Charles Darwin.

The Lady Wrigley statue also sits atop of the historic building, proudly holding a wreath in one hand and a book in the other. She was named as a snub to Colonel William Wrigley, who campaigned to stop Oldham from building a library and art gallery in the 1880s.

Last year, speaking at an event to mark the 140th anniversary of the library's official opening, Council Leader Councillor Arooj Shah said: “As we create a town centre fit for the future, it's also crucial that we preserve Oldham's proud history.

"That's why it's so important that we sympathetically restore buildings such as the Old Library wherever we can, keeping the original features while still transforming it into a space suitable for people to use here and now - right in the heart of our Cultural Quarter."

Embed not found