Nicholson Institute, Leek
| Nicholson Institute | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of the Nicholson Institute area | |
General information | |
| Status | Grade II* listed |
Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Location | Leek, Staffordshire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°6′26.280″N 2°1′25.248″W / 53.10730000°N 2.02368000°W grid reference SJ 98512 56678 |
| Completed | 1884 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Larner Sugden |
The Nicholson Institute, housing the Nicholson Museum and Art Gallery, is a building in Leek, Staffordshire, England, dating from 1884. It was built to contain a museum, art gallery and public library, and still does so today.[1] It is a Grade II* listed building.[2]
History and description
The building was designed, in Queen Anne style, by William Larner Sugden, of the firm W. Sugden and Son. The firm designed many buildings in Leek in the second half of the 19th century. It was presented to the town by Joshua Nicholson (died 1885), a silk manufacturer in Leek, as a monument to the politician and businessman Richard Cobden. It was opened in 1884.[3]
The building is of brick with stone dressings. The frontage, with mullioned and transomed windows, has a Dutch gable on the left; above the advanced entrance on the right is a tower with a copper domed roof and a roof lantern.[2] The frontage is partly hidden behind Greystones, a Grade II*-listed late 17th-century building, which bears a plaque stating "William Morris and Leek founder members of The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings saved this building in 1884".[4][5]
The Nicholson Institute initially contained a museum, picture gallery, three rooms for the Leek School of Art, and a free library of about 6000 volumes selected by J. O. Nicholson, eldest son of Joshua Nicholson.[3]
The school of art
After the government's Science and Art Department was established, the mechanics' institute in Leek set up a school of art in 1868. From 1879 this was located in a hired room in Stockwell Street. Joshua Nicholson was persuaded to include more suitable accommodation for the art school in his projected building.[3]
An extension was built in 1900, partly for a silk school, promoted by several silk mill owners in the town, who were aware that there was such a school in Macclesfield.[3]
The Leek College of Further Education and School of Art was formed in 1981; by this time the college was accommodated also in other buildings in Leek. The interior of the 1900 extension was remodelled in 1994.[3]
In 2012, it merged with the University of Derby to become part of Buxton and Leek College. In August 2025, ownership of the Leek campus of Buxton and Leek College was transferred from the University of Derby to Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG).[6]
Present day
The museum collects and displays items about the history of the Staffordshire Moorlands. There are paintings, textiles, ceramics and items relating to local life.[1]
For the art gallery there is an annual programme of temporary exhibitions, with a broad range of themes.[1]
The building was closed in September 2025, for a £3.8 million improvement programme to renovate the library and museum, and restore the lower ground floor for public use after many years. The library was moved temporarily to a neighbouring council building. The building is due to reopen in late summer 2026.[7][8]
References
- ^ a b c "The Nicholson Museum & Art Gallery" Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Nicholson Institute and Leek College of Further Education (1268544)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ a b c d e A P Baggs, M F Cleverdon, D A Johnson, N J Tringham, 'Leek: Leek and Lowe', in A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 7, Leek and the Moorlands, ed. C R J Currie, M W Greenslade (London, 1996) British History Online. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ Historic England. "Greystones (1268542)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ "Visiting Leek – in search of art, architecture and antiques" Great British Life, February 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ^ "Major boost for Staffordshire Moorlands education as Leek College joins NSCG" FE News. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ^ Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce."£3.8m Leek landmark redevelopment project set to start" Daily Focus, 9 January 2026. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ^ "Library to relocate as refurbishment work begins" BBC, 2 September 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
External links
- The Nicholson Museum & Art Gallery Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
- Leek Library Staffordshire County Council