Bridgnorth Town Hall

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Bridgnorth Town Hall
Bridgnorth MMB 04.jpg
Bridgnorth Town Hall
LocationHigh Street, Bridgnorth
Coordinates 52°32′09″N2°25′11″W / 52.5357°N 2.4198°W / 52.5357; -2.4198
Built1652
Architectural style(s) Tudor style
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameTown Hall
Designated18 July 1949
Reference no.1053998
Shropshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in Shropshire

Bridgnorth Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England. The town hall, which is a meeting place of Bridgnorth Town Council, is a Grade II* listed building. [1]

Contents

History

The stained glass windows in Bridgnorth Town Hall Bridgnorth Town Hall 16.JPG
The stained glass windows in Bridgnorth Town Hall

The original civic meeting place in the town was the burgess hall on the first floor of the North Gate which was completed in 1270. [2] The official troupe of actors known as King's Men performed in the town hall when they visited the town in 1603. [3]

A new town hall was constructed in the High Street by taking an old oak framed tithe barn that had been donated by Lady Bertie, the wife of Sir Roger Bertie, the lord of the manor at Much Wenlock, and placing it on arches in 1652. [1] [4] The arches on the ground floor were left open to allow markets to be held; at both the north and south ends of the building there were single arches large enough to permit carriage access with the town's coat of arms installed above. [5] There was a three-part window on the first floor at each end with a gable and a turret at roof level. [1] A sign on the wall above the window at the south end suggests the building was constructed by a Thomas Burne and a Roger Taylor. [6] Internally, the principal rooms on the first floor were a council chamber and a courtroom. [7] The clock in the gable at the south end was installed in 1680 while the clock at the north end was installed at a later date. [8]

The building was used for cultural events: an audience attended a "grand miscellaneous concert" there in 1789. [9] It was refurbished and stained glass windows were installed to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. [1] The stained glass windows depicted all the kings and queens who had granted charters to the town from 1157 to 1830. [8] A carpet made at the Southwell Carpet Factory, which had been established by Thomas Martin Southwell on the site of the old Bridgnorth Greyfriars Monastery in 1824, was installed in the council chamber at that time. [10]

The town hall continued to act as the local civic meeting place until the local board of health commissioned the new market hall in Postern Gate in 1859. [11] The Postern Gate building was disliked by market traders and despite the local board of health taking legal action against traders to try and force the use of the building, the development was not a commercial success and it was sold off in the early 20th century. [11] A drinking fountain which was decorated with two doves and cast by the Saracen Foundry was installed outside the town hall in the late 19th century. [12]

Although Bridgnorth District Council established offices for council officers and their staff at Westgate, [13] the town hall remained a focus of civic activity and it became a regular meeting place for Bridgnorth Town Council when it was formed in 2009. [8] A programme of refurbishment works was completed in 2015. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shropshire</span> County in England

Shropshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England, on the border with Wales. It is bordered by Cheshire to the north, the Welsh county of Wrexham to the north and northwest, Staffordshire to the east, Worcestershire to the southeast, Herefordshire to the south, and the Welsh county of Powys to the west. The largest settlement is Telford, while Shrewsbury is the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ludlow</span> Town and civil parish in Shropshire, England

Ludlow is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is located 28 miles (45 km) south of Shrewsbury and 23 miles (37 km) north of Hereford, on the A49 road which bypasses the town. The town is near the confluence of the rivers Corve and Teme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridgnorth</span> Town in Shropshire, England

Bridgnorth is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the 2011 Census was 12,079.

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

Bridgnorth District was a local government district in Shropshire, England, from 1974 to 2009. Its council was based in the town of Bridgnorth. The district also included the towns of Much Wenlock, Shifnal and Broseley and the villages of Albrighton and Sheriffhales, as well as RAF Cosford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellington, Shropshire</span> Market town in Shropshire, England

Wellington is a market town and a civil parish in the borough of Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. It is situated 3 miles (4.8 km) north-west of Telford town centre and 12 miles (19 km) east of Shrewsbury; the summit of The Wrekin lies 3 miles south-west of the town. The population of the town was 25,554 in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Much Wenlock</span> Town and parish in Shropshire, England

Much Wenlock is a market town and parish in Shropshire, England; it is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the north-east, is the Ironbridge Gorge and Telford. The civil parish includes the villages of Homer, Wyke, Atterley, Stretton Westwood and Bourton. The population of the civil parish, according to the 2001 Census, was 2,605, increasing to 2,877 by 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ludlow (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the UK

Ludlow was a constituency in Shropshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wenlock Priory</span> 12th century monastery in Shropshire, England

Wenlock Priory, or St Milburga's Priory, is a ruined 12th-century monastery, located in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, at grid reference SJ625001. Roger de Montgomery re-founded the Priory as a Cluniac house between 1079 and 1082, on the site of an earlier 7th-century monastery. In 1101 bones, believed to be those of Saint Milburga, were discovered beneath the floor of the old church. The relics were ceremoniously translated to the main monastery church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Much Wenlock Guildhall</span> Municipal building in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England

The Much Wenlock Guildhall is a guildhall located on Wilmore Street in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. It is a Grade II* listed building.

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

John Wolryche (c.1637–1685) was a lawyer and politician of landed gentry background who represented Much Wenlock in the House of Commons of England in two parliaments of Charles II. He was a moderate Whig, opposing the succession of James II but avoiding involvement in conspiracies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire Hall, Hertford</span> County building in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England

The Shire Hall is a municipal building in Fore Street, Hertford, the county town of Hertfordshire, England. The building, which currently serves as a Magistrates' Court, is a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newbury Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Newbury, Berkshire, England

Newbury Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Place in Newbury, Berkshire, England. The building, which is the meeting place of Newbury Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thame Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Thame, Oxfordshire, England

Thame Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, England. The town hall, which is the meeting place of Thame Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darwen Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Darwen, Lancashire, England

Darwen Town Hall is a municipal building in Croft Street, Darwen, Lancashire, England. It is the meeting place of Darwen Town Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bourne Town Hall, Lincolnshire</span> Municipal building in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Bourne Town Hall is a municipal building in North Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Bourne Urban District Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dudley Council House</span> Municipal building in Dudley, West Midlands, England

Dudley Council House is a municipal building in Priory Road, Dudley, West Midlands, England. The Council House, which is the meeting place of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Witney Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Witney, Oxfordshire, England

Witney Town Hall is a municipal structure in Spring Lane in Market Square, Witney, Oxfordshire, England. The town hall, which is the headquarters of Witney Town Council, is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shropshire (district)</span> Unitary authority area in England

Shropshire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It was created on 1 April 2009 from the former districts of Bridgnorth, North Shropshire, Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Atcham and South Shropshire. The district is governed by Shropshire Council. It contains 188 civil parishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corn Exchange, Much Wenlock</span> Commercial building in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England

The Corn Exchange is a commercial building in the High Street in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England. The structure, which is currently used as a library, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitchurch Civic Centre</span> Municipal building in Whitchurch, Shropshire, England

Whitchurch Civic Centre is a municipal building in Whitchurch, a town in Shropshire, in England. It accommodated the offices of Whitchurch Town Council until September 2023, when the building was closed, following the discovery of potentially dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Historic England. "Town Hall (1053998)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  2. Historic England. "North Gate (1374846)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  3. "Poverty stricken Bridgnorth 'splashes the cash' on Shakespeare's royal players". BBC. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  4. Baggs, A. P.; Baugh, G. C.; Cox, D. C.; McFall, Jessie; Stampe, P. A. (1998). "'Much Wenlock', in A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 10, Munslow Hundred (Part), the Liberty and Borough of Wenlock, ed. G C Baugh". London: British History Online. pp. 399–447. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  5. "Bridgnorth Town Hall". BBC. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  6. "Bridgnorth". Ipswich Lettering. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  7. "Bridgnorth Market Town Profile" (PDF). Shropshire Council. 2017. p. 30. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 Gwilt, Clive (2009). A History of Bridgnorth. Amberley Publishing. ISBN   978-1848683938.
  9. Wollenberg, Susan; McVeigh, Simon (2017). Concert Life in Eighteenth Century Britain. Routledge. p. 22. ISBN   978-1138245440.
  10. "Southwell Carpet Factory". About Bridgnorth. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  11. 1 2 Historic England. "New Market Hall (1053712)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  12. Town Hall Fountain. Architecture. 29 March 2017.
  13. "Former council headquarters to be demolished for housing". Shropshire Star. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  14. "Scaffolding comes down to unveil refubished Bridgnorth town hall". Shropshire Star. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2020.