Old Town Hall, Swindon

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The Old Town Hall
Former Corn Exchange, The Square, High Street, Swindon - geograph.org.uk - 635497.jpg
The Old Town Hall
Location Swindon
Coordinates 51°33′04″N1°46′23″W / 51.5512°N 1.7731°W / 51.5512; -1.7731 Coordinates: 51°33′04″N1°46′23″W / 51.5512°N 1.7731°W / 51.5512; -1.7731
Built1854
ArchitectSampson Sage and E Robertson
Architectural style(s) Neoclassical style
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated2 October 1951
Reference no.1023523
Wiltshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in Wiltshire

The Old Town Hall is a former municipal building of 1854 in the High Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It is a Grade II listed building. [1]

History

Until the construction of the town hall on the High Street, the town council had met in the Goddard Arms on the High Street. [2] This small pub had been owned by the Goddard family since 1621 and was a small cottage alehouse known as the Crown until 1820. [2] The Goddard Arms was used for public meetings in the early 19th century and was used in this way by Ambrose Goddard to report progress on the Wilts & Berks Canal. [2]

The town hall, which was designed by Sampson Sage and E Robertson in the neoclassical style, was completed in 1854. [1] [3] The main frontage has five bays separated by full-height Tuscan order pilasters, with arched windows on the ground floor, casement windows on the first floor and a pediment and roof lantern above. [1]

The building was extended to the northeast with a tower, as well as accommodation for a corn exchange at ground floor level, to the designs of Wilson and Willcox of Bath in 1866. [1] A wine store was built on an adjoining site and its upper hall was used as a magistrates' court from 1871 to 1891. [2]

After civic functions transferred to the new town hall in 1891, the building became a roller skating rink in 1910, [4] and a cinema known as the Rink in 1919. After the Second World War it was refurbished and re-opened as the Locarno Dance Hall. [4] Performers at the dance hall included the singer, Cilla Black, in April 1964, [5] followed by the rock bands, The Yardbirds in July 1964, [6] The Who in October 1965 [7] and the Small Faces in November 1965. [8] The building subsequently served as a bingo hall but became vacant in the late 1970s. [9]

The building was acquired by bar owner, Gael Mackenzie, in 1999. [10] Major fires occurred in the building in May 2003 and again in May 2004. [9] In November 2016, Swindon council entered into a development agreement with Swindon Corn Exchange Limited, a business managed by housebuilder, Steve Rosier, under which Rosier agreed to pursue a development on the site. [11] However, after no progress was made with the development and the building continued to decay, the Victorian Society added the structure to its list of most endangered buildings in September 2019. [12] The council also threatened to use a compulsory purchase order to re-acquire the property in January 2020. [13] [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Historic England. "Corn Exchange and Town Hall, Swindon (1023523)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Child, Mark (2002). Swindon : An Illustrated History. United Kingdom: Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN   1-85983-322-5.
  3. ↑ "Swindon Old Town Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan" (PDF). Swindon Council. p. 9. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Locarno pictures bring back happy memories". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "Rock 'n' Roll Wiltshire". BBC. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  6. ↑ "It's now or never for the Locarno". Swindon Advertiser. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  7. ↑ Neill, Andrew; Kent, Matthew (2009). Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of the WHO 1958–1978. Sterling Publishing Company. p. 305. ISBN   978-1402766916.
  8. ↑ "Were you at Small Faces' Locarno gig?". Swindon Advertiser. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  9. 1 2 "New hope for Locarno". Swindon Advertiser. 27 December 2005. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "Demolition plan for Swindon's Locarno listed building". BBC. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  11. ↑ "Swindon's Corn Exchange and Old Town Hall saved as contracts are signed on regeneration project". Swindon Link. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  12. ↑ "Victorian Society announce Top 10 Most Endangered Buildings 2019". The Victorian Society. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  13. ↑ "Swindon Borough Council issues Locarno threat". BBC. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "Swindon council pulls plug on deal to convert iconic Corn Exchange". Swindon Advertiser. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
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