Old Town Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Set into the curve of the street with similar elevation to Market Square.

History

First mentioned in 1731 as a Guildhall. Rebuilt on 1820 as a Market Hall with arcade and council chambers above; this is the building shown on John Wood’s 1834 map. Remodelled again in 1836 later addition (?1880’s) of the clock tower.

Exterior

2-storey, 4-window coursed rubble gabled front which formerly had pediment treatment. Slate roof and brick chimney stack; 12-pane sash windows to 1st floor and attic ventilator to gable, once in circular recess. Open ground floor with paired segmental arches to centre flanked at either end by smaller semi-circular arches, all with impost blocks.

Modern panelled door in extreme left hand opening and modern rubble blocking of the neighbouring archway. The arcade turns SW towards Market Square and near the corner rises the octagonal, part slate hung clock tower with louvred belfry; the clock tower part is set diagonally to the base and has gabled and finials to each face - octagonal spire and weathervane above. The W elevation to Market Square is a similar 3-window front; circular recess retained to attic ventilator and 2 arched openings to ground floor. Small pane glazed screen closes the arcade at both ends with boarded stallrisers; continued on either side within the arcade. Octagonal piers to centre with stop chamfered edges; said to be formerly ships masts.

Interior

A late Victorian staircase to left rises to the modernised 1st floor Council Chamber with ribbed panelled ceiling with part glazed deep coves and circular patterns; dog toothed cornice. Doric columned dais with rosette cornice to apsidal platform behind; extensively altered. Mostly king post roof trusses with alterations of various periods; very irregular construction to clock towards originally had a central light well/lantern - see earlier wall head etc. Clock mechanism by Whitehouse and Son, Derby.

The basement, reached through a former shop to E end, has prison cell retaining door; segmental brick roof.

Reason for designation

Group value.