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Dartford Library



Dartford Central Library is at the heart of the town opposite the war memorial. It was built with the aid of a grant by from the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and designed by Thomas Edward Tiffin.

The library opened on 1st January 1916. Soldiers during World War I staying in nearby military hospitals used it while convalescing. During World War II the cupola dome was used as an air raid watch post. 

In 2007 it featured on an episode of 'Most Haunted' with Yvette Fielding. Supposedly the film crew experienced poltergeist activity and believed maloderous ghosts to frequent the building.

An episode of 'Most Haunted' gives a tour of the library at night.

In 2016, to mark its centenary the library underwent restoration lasting 6 months at a cost of £650,000 in order to preserve its heritage.  Walls and flooring were redecorated and original bookshelves refurbished.  Original doorways linking the museum and library were opened for  the first time.

Sources:
Disover Dartford: Dartford Library
100 Years of Dartford History: DartfordPublic Library Opens

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  1. Streatham 13 October 2021 at 10:47

    Lovely building ,my Dad said they were thinking of building a similar building opposite the War memorial on the other side ,but obviously it never happened

    ReplyDelete

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