Leicester Town Hall
| Leicester Town Hall | |
|
Leicestershire | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
| Location: | 52°37’60"N, 1°7’57"W |
| City: | Leicester |
| History | |
| Address: | Town Hall Square |
| Built 1874-6 | |
| By: | Francis Hames |
| Queen Anne Style | |
| Information | |
Leicester Town Hall stands in the city centre of Leicester. The building is the town hall of the city of Leicester and also contains Leicester Bike Park.
The Town Hall was built on the former cattle market between 1874 and 1876 in the Queen Anne Style by Francis Hames and is a Grade-II* listed building.[1] Before it was built, the Guildhall acted as the town hall.[2]
On the first Wednesday of each month, a free tour is given by a Blue Badge tourist guide, which starts at 2 pm and lasts up to 2 hours and concludes with tea and biscuits in the Lord Mayor's Tea Room. Contrary to the notice board outside, visitors do not need tickets for the tour. Some history is given of the building, including details of previous Mayors. One can also visit the former courtroom and the current main council chamber.
Town Hall Square fountain
Leicester Town Council accepted on 29 October 1878, "a handsome ornamental fountain to be placed in the centre of the land fronting the Town Hall Buildings" which was a gift to the Borough from Sir Israel Hart, a former Mayor of Leicester.[3] It is constructed of bronze-painted cast iron, Shap granite and Ross of Mull granite.[4] Francis Hames, the architect of the town hall, also designed the layout of Town Hall Square and the fountain,[5] which was unveiled by Sir Israel Hart on 24 September 1879. Is it said to be based on a similar fountain Hames saw in at Porto in Portugal.[6]
References
- ↑ National Heritage List 1074780: Town Hall (Grade II* listing)
- ↑ "Town Hall (Leicester)". Colin Crosby Heritage Tours. http://www.crosbyheritage.co.uk/location/leicester/town-hall/. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
- ↑ "Town Hall Square Fountain". Leicester City Council. http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/growth-and-history/statuesandsculpture/townhallsquarefountain. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ Cavanagh, Terry; Yarrington, Allison (1 September 2000). Public Sculpture of Leicestershire and Rutland. Liverpool University Press. ISBN 0853236550.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1074781: Fountain (Grade II listing)
- ↑ "Town Hall Square Conservation Area: Character Statement". Leicester City Council. April 2005. p. 8. http://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/178110/town_hall_square_conservation_area_-_character_appraisal.pdf. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
Further reading
- Seaton, Derek (2004) Leicester’s Town Hall: a Victorian jewel. Leicester City Council ISBN 1-901156-23-0