Town Hall

Cadw's description

Location

At the corner with Market Square, midway along the street.

History

Built 1900-2 by the town surveyor who had studied other town and market halls; cost £5,800. Intended as an entertainment hall for the then thriving seaside resort. Solomon Andrews of Cardiff, who was the first Freeman of Pwllheli, too the first contract to show films in the building after the cinema was opened in 1911.

Exterior

Ruabon brick: 3-storey structure with subdued Neo-Baroque terracotta detail. Pitched slate roof to centre flanked by pale brick chimney stacks. 5-bay from with iron railings over parapet with blind cartouche panels and end finials. The central bay has pedimented top flanked by Obelisk finials crowing the frontispiece; various band courses below. The symmetry of the building is formed by alternating the arrangement of windows which are a mixture of 2 and 3-lights, some cross frame with ovolo mouldings. Broad architraves to outer 1st floor bays and bast strapwork volutes to central 2nd floor window over the oriel with panelled parapet and arched central light in early C17 manner - contemporary in style to the obelisks rising from the apron. Broad round arched entry with iron lamp bracket and giant decorative wrought iron tympanum with Art Nouveau touches. Cross frame windows flank the main entrance with further arched doorways to outer bays; modern doors. Left hand side is red brick as far back as the Tabernacle Chapel, then rendered. The right hand side has similar details, 5 + 1 bays with central bay similar to that on the front but without an oriel. Left hand ground floor window raised up over fleuron decorated panel.

Interior

The main auditorium rises through 1st and 2nd floors and has bowed gallery front carried on cast iron columns with foliage capitals. Deep classical ornament to front and dated town crest and Prince of Wales feathers; ceiling ventilators. Renovated in 1955.

Reason for designation

Group value.