Brunner Guildhall

WINSFORD FORMER U.D. HIGH STREET SJ 66 NW 4/104 Brunner Guildhall. - GV II Guildhall. Dated 1899. Red English garden wall bond brick with terra-cotta dressings and slate roof. Two storeys.Flemish Gothic. Entrance front: Eight bays, nearly symmetrically disposed. The two bays at centre are paired as are the two to either side of them which have gables above. Two central ground floor entrances have basket arches, that at right containing double doors, that at left containing window with two basket-arched lights and datestone below of pink granite which reads

THIS HALL WAS PRESENTED TO THE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL OF WINSFORD BY SIR JOHN TOMLINSON BRUNNER BARONET MEMBER FOR THE NORTHWICH DIVISION OF CHESHIRE IN TRUST FOR THE DAILY USE OF TRADE AND FRIENDLY SOCIETIES AND OTHER PUBLIC PURPOSES UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE AND WAS OPENED BY HIM ON THE FOURTH DAY OF NOVEMBER 1899

EDWIN HAMLETT CHAIRMAN ) OF THE COUNCIL JOHN HENRY COOKE CLERK )

ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 1898 THE COUNCIL, MR WILLIAM STUBBS, CHAIRMAN DECIDED BY RESOLUTION TO GIVE TO THE BUILDING THE NAME OF THE BRUNNER GUILDHALL.

Two cross windows to first floor with ogee heads to upper lights and ovolo moulded terra-cotta surrounds. The two bays to either side of the centre set under the shaped gables have cross windows to the ground floor with ogee heads and ovolo moulded surrounds as before. Similar, fuller windows to first floor each with mullion and 2 transoms. Between these windows run canted decorative vertical strips rising through to the apexes of the gables. Gables have ovolo moulded terra-cotta coping with angled finials to lower sides and summit. To far left and right are 3-light windows of the usual format to both floors. Right hand gable end: shaped gable. Five of the canted decorative vertical strips of terra-cotta seen on the entrance front appear here. Three-light ground floor window with transom and taller first floor window with two transoms. Left hand gable end: Similar save for 2-light ground floor window to left. Rear: central projecting gabled staircase wing with single mezzanine window of 4-lights with cambered relieving arch above. To either side are 3-light ground and first floor windows. To far right is an outshut with a two-light window and a hipped roof and to the left is a second, later lean-to outshut.

Listing NGR: SJ6460366337