The National Westminster Bank building in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England is located at the intersection of Abbey Road and Duke Street. It was designed by Paley and Austin architects and built between 1873–74 and has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage. Built for the Lancaster branch of the National Westminster Bank it was a major component of the Ramsden Square scheme, one of the planned town's two main squares and focal points.
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Ramsden Square is a square and roundabout located at the intersection of Abbey Road and Duke Street in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It marks the boundary of the Central and Hindpool wards. Ramsden Square was first laid out in the 1840s to act as a focal point of Sir James Ramsden's master plan for the new town of Barrow, separating its burgeoning industries and commercial core. The centerpiece of the square is a statue of Ramsden himself while it is framed by a number of historic buildings including Barrow Central Library, the National Westminster Bank Building and formerly the Barrow Jute Works.
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Barrow-in-Furness Main Public Library is a Grade II listed Beaux-Arts style building located at Ramsden Square, Barrow-in-Furness, England. Operated since 2023 by Westmorland and Furness Council, it is the largest library in the town and the present structure, designed by J A Charles was originally built as a Carnegie library with support from the Carnegie Foundation.
The first library in Barrow was opened on 18 September 1882 in temporary iron buildings in Schneider Square; in 1887 this was transferred to a room within Barrow Town Hall. The growing population meant that a larger building was needed and this was eventually met by the construction of the present accommodation at the junction of Abbey Road with Ramsden Square. The building itself bears a date of 1915, although delays brought about by World War I meant that it wasn't actually completed and opened until 1922.
The library formerly housed the Furness Museum which held artefacts both from across the world and also from the local area. The museum was opened in 1930 in an upstairs lecture room. It closed in 1991 and most of the exhibits were eventually moved to larger purpose-built premises next to Walney Channel - the Dock Museum. After building modifications in 1998, the library has also worked with the Cumbria Archive Service in the joint operation of a local archives or county record office branch. This now shares a public searchroom together with the local studies library.
Besides the Central Library there are currently five other libraries in the present borough: Askam, Barrow Island, Dalton, Roose and Walney. A sixth branch at Ormsgill has now been replaced by a library link facility in Ormsgill Children's Centre
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Abbey Road Working Men's Club is a partially destroyed Grade II listed building located at Abbey Road close to Ramsden Square in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Design by architect Henry Darbishire it was completed in 1871 and extended in the early 20th century, notable features previously included an ornate hipped roof with multiple oval dormers and an engraving of the Borough Coat of Arms. During the building's lifetime it functioned as a social club and later public house.
Abbey Road Working Men's Club was granted listed status in 1976. Enforcement action was taken on the building's owners in 2007 by the Planning Inspectorate to remove the national flag which had been painted on its windows in celebration of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It was considered to be harmful to the appearance of both the listed building and wider Conservation Area in which it is located.
On 11 January 2017 a fire gutted the building, entirely destroying its 20th century extension, the iconic roof and leaving an empty shell of an interior. The surviving walls are in a precarious condition and could be potentially demolished in their entirety.
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Ramsden Hall located at 48 Abbey Road in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England is a Grade II listed former public bath house. Funded by industrialist and local mayor Sir James Ramsden it was constructed in 1872 and was relatively small in comparison to other public baths in Barrow. Despite no longer serving its original purpose Ramsden Hall stands as the only remaining example of a 19th-century public bath in the town. For a period of its history, the building served as an annexe of the adjacent Technical School although at present it is occupied by offices of the Citizens Advice Bureau.
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Duke Street is a road running through the town centre and Hindpool area of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Stretching almost one mile from east to west it connects two major A roads as well as intersecting Abbey Road roughly midway. Designed by Sir James Ramsden as the centrepiece of the 19th century planned town of Barrow, Duke Street is home to three squares alongside many listed buildings including Barrow Town Hall and the Main Public Library. The Forum performing arts centre and Craven Park Stadium are also located on Duke Street.
It is one of three former 'Nat West' properties with listed building status in the Borough and currently houses a carpet shop in the lower floors.
See also
Listed buildings in Barrow-in-Furness