Old Municipal Buildings, Falkirk

Last updated

Old Municipal Buildings
Falkirk Registrars Office (geograph 7411970).jpg
The building in 2023
LocationNewmarket Street, Falkirk
Coordinates 56°00′03″N3°47′11″W / 56.0008°N 3.7863°W / 56.0008; -3.7863
Built1879
ArchitectWilliam Black
Architectural style(s) Scottish baronial style
Listed Building – Category C(S)
Official nameSocial Work Department (Former Municipal Buildings) Newmarket Street
Designated23 April 1979
Reference no.LB31207
Falkirk UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in Falkirk

The Old Municipal Buildings is a municipal structure on Newmarket Street in Falkirk in Scotland. The building, which accommodates the local register office, is a Category C listed building. [1]

Contents

History

The first municipal building in the town was the Falkirk Steeple which was completed in 1814. [2] After the area became a police burgh in 1859, [3] the burgh council decided to procure dedicated municipal buildings. The site they selected was on the north side of Newmarket Street. [4]

The new building was designed by William Black in the Scottish baronial style, built in rubble masonry and was completed in 1879. [5] The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage of four bays facing onto Newmarket Street. The first two bays were fenestrated by mullioned and transomed windows and surmounted by gables, the left gable containing a quatrefoil and the right gable containing a cinquefoil. The third bay featured a segmental headed doorway flanked by colonettes supporting a hood mould; there was a mullioned and transomed window facing onto a balcony on the first floor, and a gable containing a quatrefoil above. The right-hand bay was fenestrated by a pair of transomed windows on the ground floor and by an oriel window on the first floor with a gable above. There was a small bartizan on the right-hand corner and, at roof level, there was a pyramid-shaped roof with brattishing. Internally, the principal room was the council chamber. [1]

A memorial by the sculptor William Grant Stevenson, in the form of a Highlander protecting his fallen comrade, mounted on a pedestal and intended to commemorate local service personnel who had died in the Second Boer War, was erected in front of the municipal buildings in 1905. [6] [7] [8] King George V, accompanied by Queen Mary and Princess Mary visited the municipal buildings in July 1914, [9] King George VI, accompanied by Queen Elizabeth, attended the municipal buildings in June 1946, [10] and Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, met with civic leaders at the municipal buildings in July 1955. [11] [12] [13]

The building ceased to be the local seat of government when modern municipal buildings were built on West Bridge Street in 1965. [14] The old municipal buildings were then re-purposed to accommodate the social work department of the local council, before being converted to serve as the local registration office, with the old council chamber becoming the marriage room. [15] [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chambers Institution</span> Municipal Building in Peebles, Scotland

The Chambers Institution is a municipal structure in the High Street in Peebles, Scotland. The structure, which was designed to accommodate a library, a museum, an art gallery and Peebles Burgh Hall, is a Category A listed building.

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

Grangemouth Town Hall is a municipal structure in Bo'ness Road, Grangemouth, Scotland. The structure was the meeting place of Grangemouth Burgh Council until 1937 and remains the main events venue in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galashiels Burgh Chambers</span> Municipal building in Galashiels, Scotland

Galashiels Burgh Chambers is a municipal building in Albert Place, Galashiels, Scotland. The building, which was the headquarters of Galashiels Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building.

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

Pitlochry Town Hall is a municipal structure in West Moulin Road, Pitlochry, Scotland. The structure, which is used as an events venue, is a Category B listed building.

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

Banchory Town Hall is a municipal structure in the High Street, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The structure is primarily used as a community events venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inglis Memorial Hall</span> Municipal building in Edzell, Scotland

The Inglis Memorial Hall is a municipal structure in the High Street in Edzell, Angus, Scotland, which for much of the 20th century served as Edzell Parish Hall. The structure, which is currently used as a community events venue and accommodates a public library, is a Category A listed building.

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

Maybole Town Hall is a municipal structure in the High Street in Maybole, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a community events venue, is a Category B listed building.

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

Kinross Town Hall forms part of a complex of municipal buildings in the High Street, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The town hall, which has been converted for residential use, is a Category B listed building.

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

Lockerbie Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street in Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a venue for the provision of local services, is a Category A listed building.

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

Darvel Town Hall is a municipal building in West Main Street, Darvel, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a library and a community events venue, is a Category B listed building.

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

Dumbarton Municipal Buildings is a structure in Glasgow Road, Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a venue for weddings and civil partnership ceremonies, is a Category B listed building.

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

Anstruther Town Hall is a municipal building in School Green, Anstruther Easter, Fife, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a community events venue, is a Category B listed building.

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

Denny Town House is a municipal building in Glasgow Road, Denny, Falkirk, Scotland. The structure is used by Falkirk Council for the provision of local services.

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

Kinghorn Town Hall is a municipal building in St Leonard's Place, Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland. The structure, which is used as holiday accommodation for tourists, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burntisland Burgh Chambers</span> Municipal building in Burntisland, Scotland

Burntisland Burgh Chambers is a municipal structure in the High Street, Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. The building, which is the meeting place of the Burntisland Community Council, is a Category B listed building.

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

Cellardyke Town Hall is a municipal structure in Tolbooth Wynd, Cellardyke, Fife, Scotland. The building is used for local events. The mercat cross, which has been affixed to the front of the building, is a Category B listed structure.

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

Thurso Town Hall is a municipal structure in the High Street, Thurso, in the Highland area of Scotland. The structure, which is used as a museum, is a Category B listed building.

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

Whiteinch Burgh Hall is a municipal building on Victoria Park Drive South in Whiteinch, part of Glasgow, Scotland. The burgh hall, which is currently derelict, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portobello Police Station</span> Municipal building in Portobello, Scotland

Portobello Police Station, also known as the Old Town Hall, is a former municipal building on Portobello High Street in Portobello, Scotland. The building, which was previously the meeting place of the burgh council but now serves as a police station, is a Category B listed building.

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

Grangemouth Municipal Buildings, also known as Grangemouth Municipal Chambers, is a municipal structure in Bo'ness Road, Grangemouth, Scotland. The structure was the headquarters of Grangemouth Burgh Council.

References

  1. 1 2 Historic Environment Scotland. "Social Work Department (Former Municipal Buildings) Newmarket Street (Category C Listed Building) (LB31207)" . Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  2. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Falkirk Town Steeple, High Street (Category A Listed Building) (LB31178)" . Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  3. ↑ "Falkirk Burgh". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  4. ↑ "Ordnance Survey Six-inch 1st edition, 1843–1882" . Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  5. ↑ "Falkirk Town Centre Conservation Area Appraisal" (PDF). Falkirk Council. 12 January 2010. p. 21. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  6. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "South African War Memorial, Newmarket Street, Falkirk (Category C Listed Building) (LB31203)" . Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  7. ↑ "Eastern Division of Stirlingshire Memorial" . Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "Falkirk Boer War Memorial" (PDF). Falkirk Local History Society. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  9. ↑ "Visit of King George V, Queen Mary and Princess Mary to Falkirk". Falkirk Community Trust. 11 July 1914. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  10. ↑ "King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visit to Falkirk Burgh Buildings". Falkirk Community Trust. 1946. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  11. ↑ "Visit of Queen Elizabeth to Falkirk". Falkirk Community Trust. 1955. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  12. ↑ "The Royal Tour". British Pathé. 1955. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  13. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth II: Her Majesty's visits to Falkirk district in pictures". The Falkirk Herald. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  14. ↑ "Demolition of Falkirk Municipal Buildings and Town Hall on hold". The Falkirk Herald. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  15. ↑ "Falkirk Registration Office". Falkirk Council. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  16. ↑ "The Old Burgh Buildings". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
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.