| Rugby Town Hall | |
|---|---|
 Rugby Town Hall | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neo-Georgian |
| Location | Evreux Way, Rugby, Warwickshire |
| Coordinates | 52°22′31″N1°15′49″W / 52.375337°N 1.263575°W |
| Inaugurated | 1961 |
| Owner | Rugby Borough Council |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Ernest Prestwich |
Rugby Town Hall is a municipal building on Evreux Way in the town centre of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. The building is the headquarters of Rugby Borough Council.
Two previous town halls existed on High Street: The first one was built in 1857, designed by Edward Welby Pugin and James Murray, [1] This town hall was built by a private company for profit, and was multi-purpose, containing indoor markets, shops, an assembly room, a library, and a room for official business by the County Court and Magistrates. An extension was made in 1919. This building was not used by the local council however, who had their offices on Windmill Lane until 1900. In 1906, the building was sold to a theatrical company, and in 1911 it was converted into a cinema called Vint's Palace of Varieties. [2] Most of the building except for the extension was destroyed by a fire in 1921, and was replaced by a building which was until 2009 a Woolworths shop. [3] [4]
The second Town Hall, this one being a municipal building which housed the local council dated from 1900, in a building constructed using money left in the will of George Charles Benn, who in his will of 1895 left £6,000 to the local council to construct a building that would be useful to the town. [5] It was constructed on the site of the former ‘Shoulder of Mutton Inn’. It was used by the council until 1937, when they moved to an early 19th century property known as "The Lawn" on Newbold Road, [6] [7] and the second town hall was converted into a Marks and Spencer shop, which it remained until 2015. [3] [4]
After civic leaders found that "The Lawn" was inadequate for their needs, they elected to construct a purpose-built facility. In December 1937 the borough council approved the design of a new town hall, made by Ernest Prestwich of J.C. Prestwich & Sons, [8] at an estimated cost of £90,478 (equivalent to £7,374,389.58in 2023), in spite of objections as to cost. [9] By the end of the year, plans were being modified to lower the cost. [10] However, by November 1938 no foundation stone had been laid, the council and populace were still arguing about the cost of the scheme, and a ministerial inquiry was held in relation to the required loans. Prestwich was the only witness called, to "explain details of the scheme". The Rugby Advertiser devoted a whole page to the matter. [11]
Ultimately, the work was postponed by the Second World War, and construction was delayed until work started in June 1959. [12] Adjoining it to the north is a functions venue called Benn Hall which was built at the same time. Both the "New Town Hall" and the Benn Hall were opened on 5 July 1961 by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. [13] [14] The town hall consists of two brick neo-Georgian wings, fronted by a white stone entrance portico, [15] the top of which is inscribed with the borough motto "Floreat Rugbeia", Latin for "May Rugby Flourish". [16]
The architecture historian Nikolaus Pevsner did not hold a favourable view of the town hall, describing it as "quite dead architecturally". [15] [17]
During 1984-85 the town hall made the national news when it was the scene of protests against Rugby council's controversial decision to remove the words ‘sexual orientation’ from their Equal Opportunities policy. This was widely interpreted as a 'ban on gays' and caused uproar, and led to large protests from gay rights campaigners and politicians, including the MP Chris Smith, who used the occasion to choose to "come out" as Britain's first gay MP. The council eventually bowed to pressure to reverse the decision in early 1985. [18]
A bronze sculpture commemorating Sir Frank Whittle, the "Father of the Jet Engine", was installed at Chestnut Field just outside the town hall in 2005. [19]
In more recent times solar panels were installed on the roof of the building. [20]
Rugby is a market town in eastern Warwickshire, England, close to the River Avon. At the 2021 census, its population was 78,117, making it the second-largest town in Warwickshire. It is the main settlement within the larger Borough of Rugby, which had a population of 114,400 in 2021.
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington, is a spa town and civil parish in Warwickshire, England. Originally a small village called Leamington Priors, it grew into a spa town in the 18th century following the popularisation of its water which was reputed to have medicinal qualities. In the 19th century, the town experienced one of the most rapid expansions in England. It is named after the River Leam, which flows through the town.
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Lutterworth is a market town and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, close to the borders with Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. It is located 6.4 miles north of Rugby, Warwickshire and 12 miles south of Leicester.
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Nuneaton and Bedworth is a local government district with borough status in Warwickshire, England. It includes the towns of Nuneaton and Bedworth, as well as a modest rural hinterland including the village of Bulkington.
The Borough of Rugby is a local government district with borough status in Warwickshire, England. The borough comprises the town of Rugby where the council has its headquarters, and the rural areas surrounding the town. At the 2021 census the borough had a population of 114,400, of which 78,125 lived in the built-up area of Rugby itself and the remainder were in the surrounding areas.
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England; it is located 34 miles (55 km) north-west of Manchester. It is near the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists visiting the area. In 2018, the Clitheroe built-up area had an estimated population of 16,279.
Warwickshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Staffordshire and Leicestershire to the north, Northamptonshire to the east, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire to the south, and Worcestershire and the West Midlands county to the west. The largest settlement is Nuneaton and the county town is Warwick.
Hillmorton is a suburb of Rugby, Warwickshire, England, around 2 miles (3.2 km) south-east of Rugby town centre, forming much of the eastern half of the town. It is also a ward of the Borough of Rugby. Hillmorton was historically a village in its own right, but was incorporated into Rugby in 1932. Hillmorton also encompasses the Paddox housing estate to the west of the old village, which is shown on many maps as 'Hillmorton Paddox', this area however is part of a separate ward called 'Paddox'.
Prestwich is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Manchester, 3 miles (5 km) north of Salford and 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Bury.
Bilton is a suburb of Rugby in Warwickshire, England, located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-west of Rugby town centre. It is also a ward of the Borough of Rugby, which at the 2021 Census had a population of 6,544. It comprises much of the western half of the town. Historically a village in its own right, Bilton was incorporated into Rugby in 1932.
This is about the history of the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England.
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall is a former hotel and council building in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. The building is Grade A locally listed.
Warwickshire County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Warwickshire in England. Its headquarters are at Shire Hall in the centre of Warwick, the county town. The council's principal functions are county roads and rights of way, social services, education and libraries, but it also provides numerous other local government services in its area.
The Benn Hall is a conference, seminar, exhibition, concert and party venue located in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. The hall, along with the town hall which is located next to it, was opened on 5 July 1961 by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was designed by Ernest Prestwich, and is named after George Charles Benn who in his will of 1895 left £6,000 to the local council to construct a building that would be useful to the town. The first of these buildings was opened in 1900 as a town hall. There is another Benn Hall, also dedicated to George Charles, in the village of Grandborough a few miles south of Rugby.
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.
Leamington Spa Town Hall is a Grade II listed municipal building located in the town of Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, England. It is the meeting place of Royal Leamington Spa Town Council.
Prestwich Town Hall is a former municipal building on Scholes Lane, Prestwich, a town in Greater Manchester in England. The building, which served as the offices and meeting place of Prestwich Borough Council and has since been converted into apartments, is a Grade II listed building.
Ernest Prestwich was an English architect, working his own interpretation of Classical architecture, via the Style Moderne, Modernist and Brutalist styles. He specialised in war memorials and civic buildings, many of which are listed buildings. Some of his designs were independently-designed projects, and some were co-designs with colleagues. He was a partner with his father James Caldwell Prestwich and his brother Harold in Prestwich & Sons. and he also worked under his own name, and with Percy Thomas in various civic building design competitions.
