Old Town Hall | |
---|---|
Location | Victoria Street, Belfast |
Coordinates | 54°35′52″N5°55′25″W / 54.5979°N 5.9236°W |
Built | 1871 |
Architect | Anthony Jackson |
Architectural style(s) | Italianate style |
Listed Building – Grade B1 | |
Official name | Old Town Hall, 80 Victoria Street, Belfast |
Designated | 23 September 1977 |
Reference no. | HB 26/50/044 |
The Old Town Hall is a municipal structure in Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland. The structure, which has most recently been used as courthouse, is a Grade B1 listed building. [1]
Following significant population growth, largely associated with the linen and rope-making industries, the town became a municipal borough in 1842. Council meetings were initially held in a small rented building in Victoria Square which later became part of the premises of Cantrell & Cochrane. [2] By the mid-19th century the town council found this arrangement inadequate and decided to commission a purpose-built town hall. The site they selected was a former pork market in Victoria Street. [1] The new building was designed by Anthony Jackson in the Italianate style, built by a local contractor, James Henry, in red brick with red sandstone dressings at a cost of £33,000 and was completed in 1871. [3] [4]
The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with nineteen bays facing onto Victoria Street with the end blocks of three bays each projected forward as pavilions; the central section of five bays, which also projected forward, featured a central porch formed by two pairs of Ionic order columns supporting a gabled canopy. On either side of the central block, there were connecting blocks of four bays each. The building was fenestrated on both floors by round headed windows with voussoirs and, at roof level, there was a balustraded parapet across the whole frontage. The central and end blocks featured moulded pediments containing oculi and these blocks were surmounted by mansard roofs. Internally, the principal rooms were the municipal offices, the recorder's courtroom and the police courtroom. [1] The furniture was made of polished oak with green Morocco leather. [5]
After Belfast was awarded city status by Queen Victoria in 1888, the new city leaders formed the view that the Victoria Street building was not imposing enough and decided to commission a new building in Donegall Square which opened in August 1906. [6] The old town hall then became solely dedicated to the operation of the recorder's courtroom and the police courtroom. It briefly served as the premises of printers, David Allen & Sons, from 1910 to 1912, when it became the home of the newly formed Ulster Unionist Council: Sir Edward Carson presided over a meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council in the old town hall on 7 September 1912 at which it committed to signing the Ulster Covenant in protest at the Third Home Rule Bill. [7] [8] Carson also made the old town hall available for use as the barracks of the Ulster Volunteer Force under the command of Lieutenant General Sir George Richardson. [9] [10] Many members of the Ulster Volunteer Force were recruited for service in the 36th (Ulster) Division in the old town hall and were then deployed to the Western Front during the First World War. [1]
After the war, the building continued to serve as the headquarters of the Ulster Unionist Party and then became the home of Belfast Educational Committee in 1927. After suffering minor damage in the Belfast Blitz during the Second World War, it reverted to service as a courthouse, and briefly provided additional accommodation for Belfast Technology College between 1969 and 1977, before reverting to service as a courthouse again. It continued to be used as home to the local Youth, Family and Domestic Proceedings Court into the 21st century, [11] although, by 2020, it was vacant. [12]
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan, Ireland. It also provides the name of its civil parish and barony.
Ballymoney is a town and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is within the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area. The civil parish of Ballymoney is situated in the historic baronies of Dunluce Upper and Kilconway in County Antrim, as well as the barony of North East Liberties of Coleraine in County Londonderry. It had a population of 11,048 people at the 2021 Census.
Belfast City Hall is the civic building of Belfast City Council located in Donegall Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland. It faces North and effectively divides the commercial and business areas of the city centre. It is a Grade A listed building.
The Royal Courts of Justice in Chichester Street, Belfast is the home of the Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland established under the Judicature Act 1978. This comprises the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, High Court of Northern Ireland and the Crown Court in Northern Ireland. It is a Grade A listed building.
The Ulster Hall is a concert hall and grade A listed building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Situated on Bedford Street in Belfast city centre, the hall hosts concerts, classical recitals, craft fairs and political party conferences.
Coleraine Town Hall is a municipal structure in The Diamond in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Coleraine Borough Council, is a Grade B1 listed building.
The Old Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Place in Westbury, Wiltshire, England. The structure, which was used as the local market hall and as a courtroom, is a Grade II* listed building.
The Old Town Hall is a municipal structure in Scarva Street in Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland. The structure, which currently accommodates a Community Advice Centre on the ground floor and a room for local community groups on the first floor, is a Grade B1 listed building.
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.
The Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, formerly the Alexander Memorial Hall and originally Limavady Town Hall, is a civic venue in Main Street in Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The structure, which incorporates the façade of the old town hall, was previously a Grade B1 listed building but was delisted in July 1998 to facilitate the demolition of the structure behind the façade and the subsequent erection of a new cultural centre.
Ballymoney Town Hall is a municipal structure in the High Street, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The structure, which incorporates a local history museum, is a Grade B1 listed building.
Lurgan Town Hall is a municipal structure in Union Street, Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The structure, which is primarily used as a community, arts and resource centre, is a Grade B1 listed building.
Portadown Town Hall is a municipal structure in Edward Street, Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The structure, which is primarily used as a theatre, is a Grade B1 listed building.
The Old Town Hall is a municipal building in The High Street in Steyning, West Sussex, England. The building, which was used as a courthouse and a public events venue, is a Grade II listed building.
County Hall is a municipal building in Smithfield Street, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales. The structure, which was the headquarters of Merionethshire County Council, is a Grade II* listed building.
Pembroke Town Hall is a municipal building in Main Street, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The structure, which is the meeting place of Pembroke Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.
The Old Town Hall is a municipal structure in Castle Street, Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The structure, which is used as a constituency office by the Democratic Unionist Party, is a Grade B2 listed building.
Portrush Town Hall is a municipal structure in Mark Street, Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The structure, which is used as an events venue, is a Grade B+ listed building.
Selkirk Town House is a municipal building in the Market Place, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a local history museum is a Category A listed building.
Wick Town Hall is a municipal building in Bridge Street, Wick, in the Highland area of Scotland. The structure, which is used as a community events venue, is a Category B listed building.