Borough Buildings And Borough Hall

HARTLEPOOL MIDDLEGATE NZ 5233 (north side) Headland. 8/81 Borough Buildings and Borough Hall

• II

Municipal Buildings and former market hall, the latter now a dance hall; 1865, by C.J. Adams. Brick with stone and white brick dressings; hipped Welsh slate roofs. Italianate. 2 storeys, eleven bays, with 3-stage central tower having sprocketed pyramidal roof, square lantern, spire and metal compass/weather-vane finial. Central wide, round-headed opening in 2 planes, the inner one springing from corbels, now holding mid C20 timber panelling and doors. 2 round-headed sashed lancets to middle stage of tower, with plaque in spandrel, bearing civic arms and names of civic leaders. 2 tall blocked lancets to upper stage above remains of balcony on corbels. Eaves cornice on stepped brackets. Other bays have round-headed windows, those to ground floor having timber mullions, transoms and radiating glazing bars. Paired first-floor windows separated by round shafts with ornate capitals. Relieving arches above have incised geometric patterns in the tympana. Double 4-panelled doors to 9th bay under late C19 cast iron balcony. Continuous moulded sills, impost bands and hoodmoulds. Contemporary single-storey 3-bay extension to right and former market hall (converted to dance hall 1926) adjoining rear. Moulded and coved cornices and panelled ceilings to first-floor rooms of Municipal Buildings; and 6 original lock-up cells in rear (west) wing. Hall has Art Deco interior : quasi Ionic columns supporting continuous gallery on 3 sides, having panelled parapet ornamented with classical motifs. Colonnade above gallery has Egyptian-bell capitals. Guilloche moulding to flat proscenium arch.

Listing NGR: NZ5273233772