Dartford Library
Dartford Central Library and Museum is a library in the town centre of Dartford, Kent, England.
The library was opened on 1 January 1916 by A. W. Smale, Chairman of the Dartford Urban District Council, and W. A. Ward, the Chairman of the Library Committee. Its first browsers were soldiers in World War I who were staying nearby in military hospitals, recovering from wounds received while serving in the trenches. Dartford Central Library was constructed with the aid of a grant from the philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. It was designed by Thomas E. Tiffin AMICE, the then-Dartford Urban District Council surveyor, and built in Bath by Messrs H. Friday and Sons and Ling, using Portland and York stone.
In 1937 the library was expanded over what was once the Dartford tin works. During the Second World War its cupola dome served as an air raid watchpost.
In 2016 the library had a major refit and internal access created between it and Dartford Museum. The library also opened the Peter Blake Gallery for the display of works by local artists.[1][2]
Today, Dartford Library is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00, with these limited hours as a result of the pandemic. It is run by Kent County Council.[3]
Paranormal associations[]
The library is reportedly haunted and was featured in the popular paranormal investigation series, Most Haunted.[4] Employees and visitors have reported being touched without explanation, senses of being watched, footsteps, strong quaint scents and have witnessed books falling off shelves in unexplained fashion despite being securely on the bookcase. Stories of paranormal activity have been dismissed by local historian Christoph Bull, however.[5]
References[]
- ^ "Library set for makeover, KCC reveals". Kent Online. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
- ^ "Library returns after restoration". Kent Online. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
- ^ "Kent County Council". Archived from the original on 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ^ Northern Ghost Investigations
- ^ "Romford Recorder".
The most haunted team hears some whining or crying noises in the library which was the voice of Kathleen the daughter of the librarian who also worked there .
External links[]
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Coordinates: 51°26′35″N 0°13′8″E / 51.44306°N 0.21889°E
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- Borough of Dartford
- Carnegie libraries in England
- Reportedly haunted locations in South East England
- 1916 establishments in England
- Grade II listed buildings in Kent
- Libraries in Kent
- Kent building and structure stubs
- Library building and structure stubs