Old Town Hall, Chertsey

Last updated

Old Town Hall, Chertsey
Chertsey Old Town Hall (geograph 4038636).jpg
Old Town Hall, Chertsey
LocationLondon Street, Chertsey
Coordinates 51°23′31″N0°30′10″W / 51.3920°N 0.5027°W / 51.3920; -0.5027 Coordinates: 51°23′31″N0°30′10″W / 51.3920°N 0.5027°W / 51.3920; -0.5027
Built1851
ArchitectGeorge Briand
Architectural style(s) Italianate style
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameTown Hall
Designated9 June 1972
Reference no.1295138
Surrey UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in Surrey

The Old Town Hall is a municipal building in London Road, Chertsey, Surrey, England. The structure, which was the main civic venue for the town, is a Grade II listed building. [1]

History

The first municipal building in the town was a 17th century market hall at the junction of London Street and Guildford Street. It was arcaded on the ground floor, so that markets could be held, with an assembly room on the first floor. It also incorporated a lock-up for petty criminals. However, it obstructed the view of St Peter's Church [2] and, after it became dilapidated, it was demolished in 1809. [3] A second market house was then erected in Bridge Street in 1810. [3] [4]

In the middle of the 19th century civic leaders decided to replace the second market house with a new structure. The new building was designed by George Briand in the Italianate style, built in red brick with stone dressings at a cost of £1,700 and was completed in 1851. [4] [5] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing onto London Road; it was also arcaded on the ground floor, so that markets could be held, with an assembly room on the first floor. There were five round headed windows on the first floor with a projecting balcony in front of the central three windows. [1] The windows were flanked by pilasters supporting an entablature and a dentilled cornice. [1] Internally, the principal room was the assembly room which was accessed by a grand staircase. [4] Petty session hearings were held in the assembly room on alternate Wednesdays. [6]

Following significant population growth, largely associated with the status of Chertsey as a market town, the area became an urban district in 1894. [7] The new council chose to use the town hall as an events venue and established offices for council officers and their departments, initially in Guildford Street, [8] and then, from 1962, in Station Road in Addlestone. [9] [10]

Important events which took place at the town hall include the appearance of the former Paymaster General, Archibald Boyd-Carpenter, on the balcony of the town hall following his election as the local member of parliament in the 1931 general election. [11] The town hall also made a fleeting appearance in the 1964 classic film, First Men in the Moon , when it stood in for Dymchurch Town Hall, [12] and it served as the home of the Chertsey Museum from its formation in 1965 [4] until its relocation to The Cedars in Windsor Street in 1972. [13]

The importance of the building as a civic amenity declined following the formation of the enlarged Runnymede Borough Council in 1974. [14] An extensive programme of refurbishment works were completed in August 2000; these works involved the conversion of the ground floor into a restaurant; [15] subsequent works involved the conversion of the first floor into apartments. [16]

Related Research Articles

Chertsey Town in Surrey, England

Chertsey is a town in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey, England, 29 km (18 mi) south-west of central London. It grew up round Chertsey Abbey, founded in 666 CE, and gained a market charter from Henry I. A bridge across the River Thames first appeared in the early 15th century. The River Bourne through the town meets the Thames at Weybridge. The Anglican church has a medieval tower and chancel roof. The 18th-century listed buildings include the current stone Chertsey Bridge and Botleys Mansion. A curfew bell, rung at 8 pm on weekdays from Michaelmas to Lady Day ties with the romantic local legend of Blanche Heriot, marked by a statue of her and the bell at Chertsey Bridge. Green areas include the Thames Path National Trail, Chertsey Meads and a round knoll with remains of a prehistoric hill fort known as Eldebury Hill. Pyrcroft House dates from the 18th century and Tara from the late 20th. Train services are run between Chertsey railway station and London Waterloo by South Western Railway. The town is within the M25, accessible via junction 11.

Addlestone Human settlement in England

Addlestone is a town in Surrey, England. It is located approximately 18.6 mi (29.9 km) southwest of London. The town is the administrative centre of the Borough of Runnymede, of which it is the largest settlement.

Chertsey railway station Railway station in Surrey, England

Chertsey railway station serves the town of Chertsey in the Runnymede District of Surrey, England. It is on the Chertsey Loop Line and is operated by South Western Railway.

Leigh Town Hall Municipal building in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England

Leigh Town Hall is a municipal building in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England. It stands in Civic Square at the junction with Market Street, facing Leigh parish church. It was built in 1907 and granted grade II listed building status in 1987.

Whittlesey Museum Municipal building and museum in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, England

The Whittlesey Museum is a local history museum in Market Street, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, England. It is based on the ground floor of Whittlesey Town Hall, which is a Grade II listed building.

The Town Hall, Christchurch Municipal building in Christchurch, Dorset, England

The Town Hall, Christchurch is a municipal building in Christchurch, Dorset, England. The building, which incorporates a room known as the mayor's parlour on the first floor, and is a Grade II listed building. It is currently the base of Christchurch Town Council.

Epsom Town Hall Municipal building in Epsom, Surrey, England

Epsom Town Hall is a municipal building in The Parade, Epsom, Surrey, England. It is the headquarters of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.

Staines Town Hall Municipal building in Staines, Surrey, England

Staines Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Square, Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, England. The town hall, which briefly served as the headquarters of Spelthorne Borough Council, is a Grade II listed building.

Hastings Town Hall Municipal building in Hastings, East Sussex, England

Hastings Town Hall is a municipal building in Queen's Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England. The town hall, which was the meeting place of Hastings Borough Council, is a Grade II listed building.

Dudley Council House 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.

Folkestone Town Hall Municipal building in Folkestone, Kent, England

Folkestone Town Hall, also known as The Guildhall, is a municipal building in Guildhall Street, Folkestone, Kent, England. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Folkestone Borough Council, is a Grade II listed building.

Farnham Town Hall Municipal building in Farnham, Surrey, England

Farnham Town Hall is a municipal building in South Street, Farnham, Surrey, England. It provides the offices and the meeting place of Farnham Town Council.

Godalming Borough Hall Municipal building in Godalming, Surrey, England

Godalming Borough Hall is a municipal building in Bridge Street in Godalming, England. The building is the meeting place of Godalming Town Council.

Amersham Market Hall Municipal building in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England

Amersham Market Hall, formerly known as Amersham Town Hall, is a municipal building in the High Street in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England. The structure, which was the meeting place of Amersham Rural District Council, is a Grade II* listed building.

Otley Civic Centre Municipal building in Otley, West Yorkshire, England

Otley Civic Centre is a municipal structure in Cross Green, Otley, West Yorkshire, England. The structure, which was the offices and meeting place of Otley Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

Haslemere Town Hall Municipal building in Haslemere, Surrey, England

Haslemere Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street, Haslemere, Surrey, England. The structure, which serves as the meeting place of Haslemere Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

Downham Market Town Hall Municipal building in Downham Market, Norfolk, England

Downham Market Town Hall is a municipal building in Bridge Street, Downham Market, Norfolk, England. The structure, which is managed by Downham Market Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

St Ives Guildhall Municipal building in St Ives, Cornwall, England

St Ives Guildhall is a municipal structure in Street An Pol, St Ives, Cornwall, England. The structure, which is the meeting place of St Ives Town Council, is a locally listed heritage asset.

Middlewich Town Hall Municipal building in Middlewich, Cheshire, England

Middlewich Town Hall, also known as Victoria Buildings, is a municipal structure in Lewin Street, Middlewich, Cheshire, England. The building, which was ioriginally commissioned as a technical school and public library, is now the meeting place of Middlewich Town Council.

Garstang Town Hall Municipal building in Garstang, Lancashire, England

Garstang Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street in Garstang, Lancashire, England. The structure, which currently accommodates two shops and a Royal British Legion Club, is a Grade II listed building.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Historic England. "Town Hall (1295138)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "Chertsey". Chertsey Museum. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  3. 1 2 Malden, H. E. (1911). "'Parishes: Chertsey', in A History of the County of Surrey". London: British History Online. pp. 403–413. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "The Old Town Hall, Chertsey". Chertsey Museum. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Chertsey". Kelly's Directory of Surrey. 1891. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. ↑ Vine, J. R. Somers (1879). The County Companion, Diary, Statistical Chronicle and Magisterial and Official Directory. Waterflow and Sons. p. 288.
  7. ↑ "Chertsey UD". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "Field Archaeology: Weekend Lecture Courses" (PDF). Surrey Archaeology. 1 December 1971. p. 5. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "Addlestone". Edith's Streets. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  10. ↑ "No. 45567". The London Gazette . 7 January 1972. p. 265.
  11. ↑ "The declaration of the poll at Chertsey Town Hall". British Film Institute. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  12. ↑ "First Men in the Moon (1964)". IMDB. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  13. ↑ "History of The Cedars" (PDF). Chertsey Museum. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  14. ↑ Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN   0-10-547072-4.
  15. ↑ "History". Bar 163. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  16. ↑ "Old Town Hall". Prime Location. Retrieved 23 August 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.