Nailsworth Town Hall

Nailsworth Town Hall
Nailsworth Town Hall
Location	Old Bristol Road, Nailsworth
Coordinates	51°41′34″N2°13′11″W / 51.6927°N 2.2196°W / 51.6927; -2.2196
Built	1868
Architectural style(s)	Italianate style
Shown in Gloucestershire

Nailsworth Town Hall is a municipal building in Old Bristol Road in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. The structure currently operates as the meeting place of Nailsworth Town Council as well as a community events venue.

History

Following the appointment of the Rev. William Jackson from Bilston as the new priest at the Shortwood Baptish Church in Nailsworth, a dissenting group of about 80 worshipers decided to break away from the church and commission their own place of workshop. ^[1] Their new building was designed in the Italianate style, built in ashlar stone and was officially opened as "the Tabernacle" in 1868. ^[2]

The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of three bays facing onto Old Bristol Road. The central bay featured a pair of closely-set round-headed doorways, separated by a Corinthian order column, with architraves and keystones. There was a pair of closely-set segmental-headed windows on the first floor and a pediment above, with a circular date stone in the tympanum. The outer bays were fenestrated by round-headed lancet windows on the ground floor and by segmental-headed lancet windows on the first floor. The bays were flanked by full-height pilasters supporting a small cornice. Internally, the principal room was the main hall where religious services were held. ^[3]

The dissenters gradually re-joined the main congregation after a new Baptist chapel was erected in Newmarket Road in 1881. ^[1] The Old Bristol Road building was eventually sold to the Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1911. ^[4] After the Wesleyan congregation moved to Spring Hill in 1947, ^[5] the Old Bristol Road building was then sold to Nailsworth Urban District Council for use as a town hall. ^[6]

The building continued to serve as the local of seat of government until the enlarged Stroud District Council was formed in 1974. ^[7] It subsequently became the meeting place of Nailsworth Town Council, as well as a community events venue, hosting concerts and theatrical performances. ^{[8] [9] [10]} The local football team, Forest Green Rovers F.C., visited the town hall for a reception, ^[11] to celebrate winning the FA Vase in 1982. ^[12] In 2017, the town hall also started operating as an art gallery and began providing child care services. ^[13]

References

1. Broomhall, Gillian (2011). The Little Book of the Cotswolds. The History Press. ISBN   978-0750953924.
2. Read, L. Arthur (1 April 1949). "Nailsworth Tabernacle Church" (PDF). Baptist Quarterly. pp. 81–84.
3. "Full Council Meeting" (PDF). Nailsworth Town Council. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
4. "Nailsworth Old Methodist Church (now Town Hall), Nailsworth". Gloucestershire Places of Worship database. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
5. "Spring Hill Methodist Church, Nailsworth". Gloucestershire Places of Worship database. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
6. "Nailsworth Town Hall". Heritage Open Days. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
7. Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN   0-10-547072-4.
8. "2022 Festival in Full Swing". The Nailsworth Festival. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
9. "Nailsworth Town Hall". So Glos. 27 February 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
10. "Nailsworth Dramatic Society proudly presents "Round and Round the Garden"" (PDF). Nailsworth News. 1 October 2000. p. 2. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
11. Barnard, Tim; Cook, Heather (2014). Something to Shout About The History of Forest Green Rovers FC. The History Press. ISBN   978-0750962742.
12. "Forest Green Rovers 1982 – FA Vase Winners". The Non-League Paper. 29 May 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
13. "Art trio to pilot studio which doubles as childcare service in Nailsworth Town Hall". Stroud News and Journal. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2023.