Town Hall

PRESTON

SD5429NW LANCASTER ROAD 941-1/10/177 (West side) Town Hall

GV II

Municipal office building, now town hall. 1933-34, by Sir Arnold Thornely. Sandstone ashlar, roof concealed but probably slate. Long irregular plan on rectangular site between Lancaster Road to east and Birley Street to west (with inner courtyard and light-wells), with idential facades to both streets. Restrained neo-classical style. Four storeys over basement, 3:5:3 windows, with a plinth and rusticated ground floor with band over, and central doorway with pedimented architrave enriched with acroteria. The 5-bay centre rises above the ends and has a pierced parapet over the ground floor, low-relief statues between the top-floor windows, a frieze ornamented with swags and urns, and a cornice and parapet with acroteria; the 3-bay outer portions break forwards slightly up to 3rd-floor level, and have banded obelisk fillets in the angles, with urn finials. The windows have small-paned metal cross-window glazing, those at 1st floor in the centre of each portion with pierced balconies, enriched architraves and crested cornices. INTERIOR: open-well stone staircase at east end; panelled council chamber. Forms centre of group with Sessions House adjoining to south and Amounderness House to north; and Princes Buildings opposite.

Listing NGR: SD5401729508