The Town Hall

Cadw's description

Location

On the S side of Main Street some 50m E of its junction with Northgate Street.

History

Town hall and market, 1819, replacing an earlier C18 Shire Hall that stood out into street on site of Clock House opposite, and was demolished in 1820. The new guildhall and market was described in 1833 as 'a plain modern building....and underneath it....a commodious area for the corn market'. Alterations for a courtroom 1847. Mid C19 maps show that there was a long enclosed courtyard behind with market stalls back to The Parade. In 1875 new markets were proposed to designs by K. W. Ladd, mostly new buildings behind he also proposed to raise the council chamber roof. Complete by 1882. A flight of large external stairs were built at some point against the facade to the left, proposed for removal in 1909. Alterations, perhaps this, recorded in 1911, by H.R. Crabb. In 1993 the rear part rebuilt to designs by Clare Julien.

Exterior

Town hall, two storeys, the ground floor faced with squared grey limestone in regular courses, with band at first floor level, and first floor stuccoed and lined as ashlar. Close-eaved slate (formerly with central vent). On first floor, four long sash windows, all with painted keystones, three of 40 panes (five panes wide) evenly spaced, and a narrow one of 24 panes (three panes wide) to extreme left. in the centre bays. Slate sills.
Ground floor has five round-arched openings linked by an impost-level string course. Cut stone voussoirs. Centre arch is tallest and widest with raised voussoirs, raised imposts, plinths and keystone, late C20 double plate-glass doors and fanlight. Of the flanking arches, all now windows with late C19 or C20 glazing, formerly open market entries. Small pane glazing under fanlights divided in three with small panes, centre light tilting. Spacing is irregular with wide pier between first and second left arches, and also between entrance arch and first to right. First left arch has window over stone infill, chamfered plinth to right jamb (left one obscured). Second arch is taller, the arch head stilted above impost string level, stonework below window original, with plinth. Arches to right are infilled below windows.
Attached on first floor, iron plaque with town crest in roundel and text 'Borough Arms fixed in the Jubilee Year 1887 JW Morison Esqre Mayor'.
Rear has hipped roofed parallel rear range, with late C20 glazing.

Interior

Interior altered in late C20, stairs to left of centre hall up to first floor, altered former market hall to rear. First floor council chamber has late C19 pine dais.

Reason for designation

Included as a late Georgian town hall and market, of group value with adjacent listed buildings.