The Town Hall, Christchurch
| Christchurch Town Hall | |
|
Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 Christchurch Town Hall | |
| Type: | Town hall |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SZ15799283 |
| Location: | 50°44’6"N, 1°46’39"W |
| Town: | Christchurch |
| History | |
| Built 1746 (moved & rebuilt 1859) | |
| Town hall | |
| Classical | |
| Information | |
The Town Hall is an interesting municipal building on the High Street in Christchurch in Hampshire. The building, which incorporates a room known as the mayor's parlour on the first floor, and is a Grade II listed building.[1] It is currently the home of Christchurch Town Council.
History
The first town hall was a mediæval timber structure built in Millhams Street.[2] The current town hall, which was designed in the neoclassical style, was originally built in the Market Square in 1746 but, in order to improve traffic flow, it was dismantled and rebuilt in its current position in the former Blanchard's Yard in the High Street in 1859.[1][3] The move to Blanchard's Yard was funded by public subscription and financially supported by the local Member of Parliament, Admiral John Edward Walcott.[2]
The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with six bays facing onto the High Street; the central section of two bays, which slightly projected forward, featured arcading on the ground floor to allow markets to be held, and a stone balcony and Venetian window on the first floor flanked by full-height Doric order pilasters supporting an open pediment.[1] There was a cupola with a weather vane at roof level.[1] Internally, the principal room was the mayor's parlour on the first floor.[2] There was a lock-up under the stairs to accommodate criminals.[2] A technical school, which had been built to the north of the town hall in 1902, was later acquired by Christchurch Borough Council and converted for municipal use to accommodate a new council chamber.[2]
The town hall continued to serve as the headquarters of Christchurch Borough Council and despite its small size it remained the local seat of government when the district was greatly enlarged in 1974, until civic leaders decided it really was too small and moved to new civic offices in Bridge Street in 1978.[4][5] Some restoration work including replacement of the cupola was carried out in autumn 1988.[6]
The old technical school, which had become surplus to requirements, was demolished to make way for Saxon Square in 1992.[2] Proposals to glaze the ground floor of the town hall were recommended to the local council in August 2015.[7]
In 2018 when yet another reorganisation abolished the district, a new town council was created for Christchurch, with its offices in the town hall.[8] An extensive programme of restoration works, including replacement of the lead pipework and further work on the cupola, began in January 2020.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 National Heritage List 1324677: Town Hall (Grade II listing)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Saxon Square and the Old Town Hall". Christchurch History Society. https://www.historychristchurch.org.uk/content/history/historic-walks-in-christchurch-centre/high-street-historic-walk/1-tour-around-historic-christchurch-high-street-area. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ Page, William (1912). "'Christchurch (Christchurch Twyneham): Introduction, castle and manors', in A History of the County of Hampshire". London: British History Online. pp. 83–101. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol5/pp83-101. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Christchurch Borough Council, Civic Offices". Art UK. https://artuk.org/visit/venues/christchurch-borough-council-civic-offices-3280. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Planning document for proposed Civic Offices". Christchurch Historical Society. https://www.historychristchurch.org.uk/content/catalogue_item/civic-offices-2. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Christchurch Town Hall - Contract Awarded" (in en-GB). 2020-01-15. https://restoration-services.uk.com/christchurch-town-hall-cupula-restoration-contract-awarded/.
- ↑ "Christchurch Town Centre Strategy". Barr Gazetas. 1 August 2015. http://www.wcresidents.co.uk/Pages/Town_Centre_Strategy_1511.pdf. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ↑ "Christchurch to get new town council when super council comes in". Bournemouth Echo. 20 August 2018. https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16586311.new-parish-plans/. Retrieved 23 July 2019.