Town Hall

The Town Hall in Macclesfield, which also incorporates a former police station, was built between 1823 and 1824 by Francis Goodwin, with extensions added in 1870 by James Stevens of Macclesfield. The building is constructed of ashlar stone and is designed in the Greek Revival style.

The exterior features two storeys and a nine-window range, highlighted by an Ionic portico that projects over the central section and is supported by four unfluted columns. The central doorway is framed by a polished granite architrave, flanked by sash windows with plain pilasters. Each side of the central section has two bays, articulated by plain pilasters and tripartite sash windows, which are also divided by plain pilasters. Above the doorway, there is a wide central window. The building has a high cornice and entablature. A similar portico is found on the return elevation to Churchside, which was the original entrance front from 1823. This portico is flanked by a single tripartite sash window on the first floor and plain sash windows on the ground floor to the left, with double doors leading to a rear courtyard and a flanking side door to the right. The portico is partially filled by a screen wall that supports a first-floor balcony and conceals external stairs leading to the balcony on each side.

The former Borough Police Station, which is part of the 1870 extensions, is attached to the rear and is designed in a similar style. It features paired two-pane sash windows with moulded architraves set in panelled recesses on either side of the central doorway, along with a scrolled frieze and cornice, topped by a panelled parapet. There is also lettering above the ground floor.

Inside, the building has largely been remodelled since 1870. The central stair hall is illuminated by a painted glass lantern, and the stone staircase is adorned with cast-iron rails and lamps on the newels. The ceiling is coffered. On the first floor, the council chamber and former assembly room feature walls articulated by paired pilasters, a painted coffered ceiling with a deeply moulded cornice, and recessed panels. Similar plasterwork can be found in the assembly room at the rear.