Old Town Hall

Description

This information is taken from the statutory List as it was in 2001 and may not be up to date.

PONTEFRACT MARKET PLACE SE 4521 NE (north-east side) 8/30 Old Town Hall (formerly 29.7.50 listed under Bridge Street)

GV II*

Market building with gaol at back and assembly room above. 1785. By Bernard Hartley I of Pontefract, Surveyor of Bridges to the West Riding of Yorkshire. Ashlar sand- stone, Welsh slate roof. 3 storeys, 3 x 2 bays with lower 2-storey gaol range to rear right. Market Place elevation: 3 bays; ground floor has chamfered rustication with 3 segmental arches having plinths, impost band and dropped keystones; the left bay open, the centre bay with C20 glass shop front, the right bay with recessed infilling. Band forming base to giant order of fluted Tuscan pilasters, one at ends, paired to centre bay, which advances slightly and is pedimented. First-floor windows are sashes with glazing bars and sill band, with wrought-iron balcony in centre, and turned-baluster aprons to outer bays. Second-floor windows are half-size 6-pane casements with projecting sills. Modillion cornice. Flag pole in front of pedi- ment. Hipped roof. Central wooden clock tower with cupola with lead-covered dome and weather-vane. Rear: 1 bay visible, matching front. Left return finely rendered, and scored as if ashlar; 2 bays; both ground-floor arches open; above, single pilas- ters, no openings. Rear wing, elevation to Bridge Street: ground floor door below deep over-light and window; 2 blind first-floor windows; all with voussoired wedge lintels. Interior: first floor assembly room has white marble fireplace with sleep- ing lion as centrepiece of fluted frieze and later cast iron grate; at left end, magistrates' bench with coat of arms on plaque above between consoles with dentilled cornice above, and C19 panelled front; segmental gallery above bench has wrought iron railings; ceiling cornice. At right end; full size plaster cast of John Edward Carew's bronze relief of 'the Death of Nelson' from. the column in Trafalgar Square, London, set behind cast-iron railings with spear finials and lotus standards.

Derek Linstrum, West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture, (1978), pp. 329-331.

Listing NGR: SE4567221954

Content

This is part of the Series: IOE01/0248 IOE Records taken by Peter Briggs; within the Collection: IOE01 Images Of England

Rights

© Mr Peter Briggs. Source: Historic England Archive

This photograph was taken for the Images of England project