Monument record 7198/333 - Liberal Club, Horsemarket

Former Liberal Club, of 1888, by Gotch and Saunders. The club was completed to John Alfred Gotch's designs in March 1888, at a cost of £4,000, as the headquarters of Kettering's Liberal Party which had been formed four years earlier. The building, which is in the Jacobean revival style, was described as 'picturesque and dignified', and was considered to be 'one of the most striking and prominent examples of modern architecture which the town possesses'. It is constructed of red brick with Weldon stone dressings and a roof of plain red clay tiles and has two storeys and an attic under a pitched roof with chimney stacks at the gable ends, and a plinth of roughly coursed ironstone rubble. At some point between between 1926 and 1967 a rear extension on the southern side was built. By 1967 the southern half of the building was used as a bank while the northern half was still in use by the Liberal Club. Subsequently, the southern half was in use as a restaurant then bar and nightclub. As a result of these changes the building has undergone considerable alterations and changes.

{1} Opened in 1889 is a building of Weldon stone and red brick erected from designs by Messrs Gotch and Saunders of Kettering with spacious reading, billiard and refreshment rooms and an assembly room holding about 200 persons. 500-600 members. The building is now in use as a public house. It is a very large, impressive structure for a club. Film 3, photo 6.

{2} Former Liberal Club, now Trustee Savings Bank, of 1888, by Gotch and Saunders. In a free Tudor style with certain motifs not authorised by tradition, but without real originality.

{3} Illustration of the Liberal Club in the year it opened showing the corner frontage, as well as ground and first floor plans.

{4} The Liberal Club was considered for listing, but was not recommended due to the extensive internal remodelling which has resulted in the loss of original plan form and a high proportion of the historic joinery, fixtures and fittings. The alterations have had a detrimental impact on its integrity as a historic building.

<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Kettering (Industrial), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100283.

<2> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.275 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<3> The Builder, 1889, Liberal Club at Kettering- Messrs. Gotch and Saunders (Illustration). SNN111715.

<4> Historic England, 2020, Former Liberal Club, Kettering (Designation Advice Report). SNN111833.

Record last edited

Jan 21 2020 10:04AM