Airdrie Town House

Last updated

Airdrie Town House
Airdrie Town House.jpg
Airdrie Town House
LocationBank Street, Airdrie
Coordinates 55°52′00″N3°58′51″W / 55.8666°N 3.9807°W / 55.8666; -3.9807
Built1826
ArchitectAlexander Baird
Architectural style(s) Neoclassical style
Listed Building – Category B
Official nameBank Street, The Townhouse
Designated4 March 1971
Reference no.LB20926
North Lanarkshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in North Lanarkshire

Airdie Town House is a municipal building in Bank Street, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The town house, which was the headquarters of Airdrie Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building. [1]

Contents

History

In the early 19th century the burgh leaders met in the masonic hall, a building in the High Street, which had opened on 11 May 1810. [2] [3] The masonic lodge had over-extended itself with the borrowings needed to build the hall and was keen to maximise use of the building. [2] After the area became of burgh of barony in 1821, [4] the burgh leaders decided to commission a dedicated municipal building for the town. [5]

The new town house was designed by Alexander Baird in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone and completed in December 1826. [5] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with three bays facing onto Bank Street; the centre bay, which was slightly projected forward, featured a doorway on the ground floor flanked by two pairs of Tuscan order columns supporting an entablature and a small canopy; there was a sash window on the first floor. [5] There was a tower above with a pedimented sash window in the next stage, followed by a clock, a belfry and then a spire. [1] When completed it was 30.8 metres (101 ft) high. [6] Internally, the principal rooms were the courtroom and the police station. [7]

A bell was cast by Stephen Miller & Co of Glasgow and installed in the belfry in 1828, [1] and the building went on to serve as a hospital during the cholera outbreak in 1832. [5] The first free library in Scotland was established in one of the rooms in the building in 1854. [1] However, the police station relocated to Anderson Street in 1858 [7] and the library relocated to a purpose-built Carnegie library in Anderson Street in 1894. [8] [lower-alpha 1]

The town house had no public hall so public events had to be held in the Airdrie Town Hall which was only completed in 1912. [10] The building was considerably extended to the rear in 1948, [5] allowing the interior to be remodelled with a larger courtroom, which was also used as a council chamber, on the first floor. [1]

The building continued to serve as the headquarters of Airdrie Burgh Council for much of the 20th century but ceased to be the local seat of government after the enlarged Monklands District Council was formed at Coatbridge in 1975. [11] The building was subsequently used as the local First Stop Shop, [12] although the council announced the closure of the One Stop Shop in June 2020. [13]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The Carnegie Library is now the Airdrie Arts Centre. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airdrie, North Lanarkshire</span> Town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland

Airdrie is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on a plateau 400 ft above sea level, 12 miles (19 km) east of Glasgow. As of 2012, it had a population of 37,130. Airdrie developed as a market town in the late 17th century following an Act of Parliament allowing it to hold a weekly market. It later grew in prominence as a centre for weaving and manufacturing, as well as being the settlement near several coalmines. In the mid 19th century, the town expanded greatly as a result of immigration and the development of iron works and railway links. This led to the town building the first public library in Scotland in 1853. During the 20th century, industrial decline took place in Airdrie, with heavy industry closing down across much of the town. In the 21st century, Airdrie has continued as a regional centre for services and retail, as well as being a commuter settlement within the Central Belt. Historically part of Lanarkshire, Airdrie forms a conurbation with its neighbour Coatbridge, in what was formerly the Monklands district, with a population of approximately 90,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Lanarkshire</span> Council area of Scotland

North Lanarkshire is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the north-east of the Glasgow City council area and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns, and villages. It also borders East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Stirling, South Lanarkshire, and West Lothian. The council area covers parts of the historic counties of Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, and Stirlingshire. The council is based in Motherwell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coatbridge</span> Town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland

Coatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about 8+1⁄2 miles east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. Along with neighbouring town Airdrie, Coatbridge forms the area known as the Monklands, often considered to be part of the Greater Glasgow urban area – although officially they have not been included in population figures since 2016 due to small gaps between the Monklands and Glasgow built-up areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strathkelvin</span>

Strathkelvin is the strath (valley) of the River Kelvin in west central Scotland, lying north-east of Glasgow. The name Strathkelvin was used between 1975 and 1996 for one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monklands (district)</span> Scottish local government district (1975–1996), part of Strathclyde region

Monklands was, between 1975 and 1996, one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Townhouse</span> Municipal building in Hamilton, Scotland

Hamilton Townhouse is a building in Cadzow Street in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, which is operated by South Lanarkshire Council. It contains both the town's main public hall and public library, as well as various council departments including licensing and community learning. It is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girvan Steeple</span> Municipal building in Girvan, Scotland

The Girvan Steeple is a steeple and the site of a former townhouse in Girvan, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Its popular name, "Stumpy Tower", "Stumpy Jail" or "Auld Stumpy", is derived from the Gaelic Olladh Stiom Paidh, meaning "Great Circle of Justice". It is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chapelhall</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Chapelhall is a village outside the town of Airdrie in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. With house building, the distinction between Airdrie and Chapelhall is being eroded. Established as a small mining village in the 19th century, it now has population of around 6,560. Chapelhall is situated just off the M8 motorway 13 miles (21 km) east of Glasgow city centre and around 33 miles (53 km) west of Edinburgh. Chapelhall is also near to many of Lanarkshire's main towns, such as Bellshill, Coatbridge, Motherwell, Hamilton and Cumbernauld, as well as being around 3 miles (4.8 km) away from Airdrie town centre. The Eurocentral freight village/industrial estate is just a mile or so away and employs people from around Lanarkshire, Glasgow and West Lothian. The rail-freight village links with Grangemouth docks 28 miles (45 km) away,.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutherglen Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Rutherglen, Scotland

Rutherglen Town Hall is a municipal facility on the north side of Main Street in Rutherglen, Scotland. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Rutherglen Burgh Council, is a Category A listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coatbridge Municipal Buildings</span> Municipal building in Coatbridge, Scotland

Coatbridge Municipal Buildings, formerly Coatbridge Town Hall, is a municipal building in Dunbeth Road, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The building, which was the headquarters of Coatbridge Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airdrie Town Hall</span> Municipal Building in Airdrie, Scotland

Airdie Town Hall, also known as the Sir John Wilson Town Hall, is an events venue in Stirling Street, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irvine Townhouse</span> Municipal building in Irvine, Scotland

Irvine Townhouse is a municipal building in the High Street, Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The townhouse, which was the headquarters of Irvine Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stirling Tolbooth</span> Municipal building in Stirling, Scotland

Stirling Tolbooth is a municipal building in Broad Street, Stirling, Scotland. The structure, which was the original meeting place of Stirling Burgh Council, is a Category A listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Town Buildings, Port Glasgow</span> Municipal building in Port Glasgow, Scotland

The Town Buildings, also known as the Municipal Buildings, are in Fore Street, Port Glasgow, Scotland. The structure, which served as the meeting place of Port Glasgow Burgh Council, is a Category A listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forres Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Forres, Scotland

Forres Town Hall is a municipal structure in the High Street, Forres, Moray, Scotland. The structure, which was the meeting place of Forres Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverbervie Town House</span> Municipal building in Inverbervie, Scotland

Inverbervie Town House is a municipal structure in Church Street in Inverbervie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The structure, which is primarily used as a public library, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Town House, Old Aberdeen</span> Municipal building in Aberdeen, Scotland

The Old Town House is a municipal building in the High Street in Old Aberdeen, Scotland. The structure, which is now the home of the King's Museum, is a Category A listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auchtermuchty Town House</span> Municipal building in Auchtermuchty, Scotland

Auchtermuchty Town House is a municipal structure in the High Street, Auchtermuchty, Fife, Scotland. The structure, which accommodates the local public library, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Town Hall, Ardrossan</span> Municipal Building in Ardrossan, Scotland

Ardrossan Civic Centre is a municipal building in Glasgow Street in Ardrossan, a town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The building, which was previously the offices and meeting place of Ardrossan Burgh Council, is currently used as a masonic hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Buildings, Airdrie</span> Municipal building in Airdrie, Scotland

County Buildings was a judicial building on Bank Street in Airdrie in Scotland. The building, which was the venue for hearings of the Airdrie Sheriff Court, was demolished in 1969.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Historic Environment Scotland. "Bank Street, The Townhouse (LB20926)" . Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Lodge History". Lodge Airdrie St. John No. 166. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  3. ↑ The New Statistical Account of Scotland. Blackwood. 1845. p. 244.
  4. ↑ "Airdie". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Historic Environment Scotland. "Bank Street, The Townhouse (LB20926)" . Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  6. ↑ Tolbooths and Town houses: Civic architecture in Scotland to 1833. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. 1997. p. 32. ISBN   978-0114957995.
  7. 1 2 "Airdrie Police Prison". Prison History. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Call to retain Airdrie Arts Centre for community use". Daily Record. 18 January 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Airdrie arts centre set to welcome performing arts group". Daily Record. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Airdrie". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  11. ↑ "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "Aidrie First Stop Shop". North Lanarkshire Council. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "Plans to convert Coatbridge Municipal Buildings into new homes". Daily Record. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.