Wetherby Town Hall

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Wetherby Town Hall
Wetherby Town Hall 001.jpg
Wetherby Town Hall
Wetherby Town Hall
General information
Architectural style Classical
Classification
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated8 February 1988
Reference no. 1135070
Town or city Wetherby
CountryEngland
Coordinates 53°55′41″N1°23′10″W / 53.928°N 1.386°W / 53.928; -1.386 Coordinates: 53°55′41″N1°23′10″W / 53.928°N 1.386°W / 53.928; -1.386
Construction started1845
Cost£1,300

Wetherby Town Hall is a community building in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. The town hall no longer plays a major civic function but provides an office which is used by Wetherby Town Council and facilities for local groups and events. It is a Grade II listed building. [1]

Contents

History

Aerial view of north and east elevations Aerial photographs of Wetherby (7th May 2021) 025.jpg
Aerial view of north and east elevations
Aerial view of south facade Aerial photographs of Wetherby (7th May 2021) 018.jpg
Aerial view of south facade

Old Town Hall

Wetherby town centre at the time of the Great Sale in 1824. The old town hall (4) and chapel of ease (5) are shown. Wetherby town centre map 1824.jpg
Wetherby town centre at the time of the Great Sale in 1824. The old town hall (4) and chapel of ease (5) are shown.

Wetherby's first town hall occupied the same site on the Market Place. It was a small plain building with little decoration, a clock on the front and bell tower. Its northern side had an external staircase to the first floor where civic and county court functions were carried out. The ground floor contained the town gaol and outside were the town stocks. It was demolished in 1845. [2] Adjacent to the old town hall was the Market Place Chapel, a chapel of ease to the parish church in Spofforth, built in 1763. It was damaged in a fire in 1823 and became increasingly dilapidated. [3]

New Town Hall

In 1845 William Raby, curate at Spofforth proposed that the old town hall site, together with that of the adjacent chapel should be the location for the new town hall and a national schoolroom. The schoolroom replaced the Sunday school held in the chapel. His proposal was supported by the Bishop of Ripon but was beset by problems. [3] The church was assured the schoolroom would be used as a Sunday school in perpetuity but that use ended with the opening of a hall adjacent to St James' Church. [4]

The town hall's foundation stone was laid in 1845 and the building was completed at a cost of £1,300 which was raised by public subscription. [4] The new building was used for the county court, assembly rooms, a reading room, a small gaol, and had a ground-floor schoolroom. In 1846 the schoolroom was fitted out with a grant from the National Society. [4]

During the First World War the town hall was requisitioned by the military for billets as were the racecourse and masonic hall. [5] The seat of Wetherby Rural District Council moved to new offices on Westgate in the late 1930s. [6]

The town hall was used as a court house until Wetherby Magistrates Court was built in the 1960s. The town hall's south side had a door to enable prisoners to be taken to the upper room [7] but by 1962 it had gone. [8] The main front chimney's originally had bells to summon the fire brigade. [9] [10]

Town hall, view from the side and rear Town Hall, Wetherby - geograph.org.uk - 348637.jpg
Town hall, view from the side and rear

Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1972, the town hall ceased to be local seat of government and responsibility for managing it was transferred to Leeds City Council. [11]

Structure

Wetherby Town Hall and its front walls are grade II listed buildings. The Classical style two-storey town hall is built of sandstone and has a Welsh slate hipped roof. [1] Ramps were added for access in 2005. [12]

Facilities and use

Wetherby Town Hall masquerading as the Albatross Theatre for the filming of Get Santa, February 2014. Wetherby Town Hall during the filming of Get Santa (18th February 2014) 002.JPG
Wetherby Town Hall masquerading as the Albatross Theatre for the filming of Get Santa , February 2014.

The town hall has rooms available for public hire [10] and an office used by the town council. Several groups use the facilities and occasional craft and antique fairs are held on Thursdays to coincide with market day. Trade events and public consultations are held in the town hall. [13] The use of the town hall for trading activities has caused controversy with established traders who have protested about the 'cut price' sale of trading space which harms traders whose rates have helped to pay for its maintenance. [14] In 2014 the town hall was used in place of a theatre for the filming of Get Santa . [15] In 2021 the town hall was used as a COVID-19 vaccination centre. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

Wetherby Market town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England

Wetherby is a market town and civil parish within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England, close to the county's border with North Yorkshire and lies approximately 12 miles from Leeds City Centre, 12 mi (19 km) from York and 8 mi (13 km) from Harrogate. The town stands on the River Wharfe, and for centuries has been a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road midway between London and Edinburgh.

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Linton, West Yorkshire Village in West Yorkshire, England

Linton is a village 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-west of Wetherby in West Yorkshire, England, in the parish of Collingham and the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. At the 2011 Census the village fell within the Harewood ward of the City of Leeds Council. It lies between Wetherby and Sicklinghall, on the north bank of the River Wharfe, opposite Collingham on the south bank.

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History of Wetherby

The recorded history of Wetherby, a market town in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, began in the 12th and 13th centuries when the Knights Templar and later the Knights Hospitallers were granted land and properties in Yorkshire. The preceptory founded in 1217 was at Ribston Park. In 1240 the Knights Templar were granted by Royal Charter of Henry III the right to hold a market in Wetherby. The charter stated the market should be held on Thursdays and an annual fair was permitted lasting three days over the day of St James the Apostle.

St James Parish Church, Wetherby Church in West Yorkshire, England

St James' Parish Church is an Anglican parish church serving the parish of Wetherby with Linton in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England.

Golden Triangle (Yorkshire) Informal name for an area of West and North Yorkshire, England

The Golden Triangle is a term commonly used by estate agents for the area of West and North Yorkshire lying between Harrogate, York and North Leeds. Lying in the centre of this area is Wetherby on the fringes of West Yorkshire. Despite mainly being an affluent area the area does consist of some deprived areas such as Swarcliffe, Cranmer Bank and Hallfields. The most expensive street in the golden triangle is Fulwith Mill Lane on the South Side of Harrogate, where the average house price is £1.7 million.

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Wetherby (York Road) railway station Disused railway station in West Yorkshire, England

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Harrogate–Church Fenton line Disused railway line in Yorkshire, England

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Wetherby Bridge

Wetherby Bridge is a scheduled monument and Grade II-listed bridge over the River Wharfe in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, dating from the 13th century. The bridge connects Micklethwaite on the south bank to the town centre on the north. It formerly carried the A1 Great North Road but now carries the A661 Boston Road leading to Boston Spa and the south.

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St Josephs Church, Wetherby Roman Catholic church in West Yorkshire, England

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

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References

  1. 1 2 Historic England. "Wetherby Town Hall and attached front wall, Market Place (1135070)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  2. ↑ Unwin 1987 , p. 95
  3. 1 2 Unwin 1987 , p. 106
  4. 1 2 3 Unwin 1987 , p. 107
  5. ↑ Unwin 1987 , p. 173
  6. ↑ "Westgate, site of new Wetherby Rural District Council Offices". Omnia. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. ↑ Unwin 1987 , p. 27
  8. ↑ Unwin 1987 , p. 29
  9. ↑ Unwin 1987 , p. 25
  10. 1 2 "Wetherby town council, councillors". Wetherby Online. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  11. ↑ Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN   0-10-547072-4.
  12. ↑ "Wetherby Town Hall". Touristlink. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  13. ↑ "Wetherby town website, visit, accommodation". Wetherby Online. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  14. ↑ Unwin 1987 , p. 209
  15. ↑ "Get Santa film to give major boost for Wetherby economy". Wetherby News. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  16. ↑ "Vaccination rollout boost in Wetherby". Harrogate Advertiser. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

Sources

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