City Hall

City Hall in Kingston upon Hull is a major civic building constructed between 1903 and 1909, designed by JH Hirst, the City Architect. Originally built as a city hall with an integrated art gallery and shops, it was restored around 1950 following war damage and further altered in 1986 and 1989. The building is executed in ashlar with copper-clad mansard roofs and displays the Baroque Revival style.

The principal eastern entrance front is the most elaborate composition. It features a recessed centre containing five windows and a two-storey portico with two Composite columns flanked by pairs of similar columns, all supporting a dentillated segmental pediment. Within the tympanum is a cartouche flanked by swags. Below the portico sits a central window with segmental pediment, flanked by single windows with cornices. Beyond these are single windows also with cornices. Above rises a central two-light window with a central column, beyond which are relief panels. A drum with round-arched windows separated by engaged columns follows. At the four angles are pairs of Roman Ionic columns under steep pitched open pediments, with large figure sculptures at their bases. Above the dentillated cornice sits a copper dome with an open domed cupola and finial. Below the portico is a Doric porte-cochere with pairs of square columns at the corners and a balustraded balcony. A central revolving door is flanked by panelled square columns and pairs of glazed doors with overlights. On either side stands a round-headed niche containing a life-size figure sculpture.

The building rises three storeys on the main front, with three storeys plus attics elsewhere. A plinth, first-floor band, dentillated main cornice, and coped parapet run across the elevation. The fenestration comprises 7 by 23 windows. First-floor windows are mainly cross casements, while second-floor windows are mainly narrow lights separated by square columns, all with leaded glazing.

Slightly projecting end bays feature on the first floor a window with keystone and segment-arched hood on brackets, above which sits a smaller three-light window with stone mullions. Below is a square opening with a twentieth-century shop front with bronze window frames.

The returns have panelled upper floors divided by composite pilasters. On the first floor towards the front are two cross casements, and to the rear a transomed casement, all with keystones and segment-arched hoods on brackets. Above are two three-light windows towards the front and a two-light window to the rear.

The symmetrical north and south fronts each contain ten bays. The inner six bays are divided by pilasters rising through the parapet to form pedestals with moulded flat caps, above which are ramped extensions also with flat caps, forming buttresses to the attic storey. The panelled upper floors have recesses with flanking pilasters and quarter pilasters, and a second-floor cornice and frieze with figures. Each bay contains a window with keystone and segment-arched hood on brackets, and above, a three-light window. The ground floor displays six late twentieth-century shop fronts.

Slightly projecting double end bays have angle pilasters carried through the parapet to form pedestals with flat caps. A full-width dentillated segmental pediment with crested cartouche flanked by swags crowns these bays. Within each recess is a central pilaster and flanking quarter-pilasters. Two oval glazing-bar windows with segment-arched hoods appear above two three-light casements with sills on foliate brackets, double keystones, and half-round hoods. Below are two doorways with double keystones and segment-arched hoods on shaped brackets, with a single plain window between and beyond them to the rear.

The former art gallery to the rear is a windowless block rising two storeys and spanning eight by ten bays, with its roof concealed behind the parapet. Corner pilasters with cornice breaks articulate the design. The north and south sides feature towards the front a single entrance bay defined by a single pilaster. A first-floor Diocletian window is set in a recessed panel with stepped head and swag ornaments. A frieze of allegorical figures runs across the elevation. Below is a doorway flanked by single Doric columns in antis, with a glazed double door and cornice. Over the door is a coat of arms in relief.

Each side has recessed panels with rectangular ornamented cartouches at their heads, inscribed with the names of artists. Above each panel is a cameo portrait of the artist flanked by allegorical figures. The ground floor contains six square openings with late twentieth-century shop fronts. The rear elevation follows a similar design, with eight panels above and six shop fronts below.

The interior contains a marble-panelled entrance hall with Ionic pilasters supporting a round-arched blind arcade on each side, beneath a panelled cross-beam ceiling. At the inner end stands a three-bay arcade with coffered round arches; the larger central arch has paired Ionic columns on pedestals, while the flanking arches feature double pilasters.

A branching marble main staircase with intermediate landings ascends between round arches with Ionic columns on pedestals and contrasting coloured marble balustrades, handrail, and wall panels. On the ground floor on either side is a three-bay round-arched arcade with Ionic columns providing access to side lobbies and minor stairs. Beneath the lower flight sits a door in a half-domed recess. The first landing has a two-bay arcade on each side. The top landing displays a coffered coved ceiling with figure corbels and drops, and a domed stained-glass skylight.

The main concert hall features a heavily enriched coved cross-beam ceiling with wrought-iron pendant lamps and dentillated cornice. At the front stands a full-height segment-headed recess with panelled dado and frieze displaying Greek figures in relief, containing a three-tower organ case on a three-bay round-arched wooden arcade.

On either side, five bays are divided by full-height panelled pilasters with cartouches at their heads. In each bay, at floor level, is a set-back round-arched triple arcade with Ionic marble columns giving access to narrow barrel-vaulted corridors with wooden panelling. Above rises a balustraded gallery, curved at the rear, with similar recessed arcades in each bay providing access to side corridors. Above again, a Diocletian window in each bay contains leaded glazing. At the front is a doorway with moulded tympanum. At the rear, wooden panelling with cornice and two pairs of glazed doors feature plaster relief panels above. The gallery is furnished with a curved panelled wooden screen and two glazed double doors.

The Victoria bar, positioned above the main entrance, has wood-panelled walls and dentillated cornice with a coffered ribbed glazed dome on pendentives. At each end, a dentillated cross-beam is carried on two Corinthian columns and pilasters. At each end stands a corniced marble fireplace flanked by single doors. To the front, three iron-framed French windows lead to the balcony.

The former art gallery contains a central rotunda with enriched round-arched arcades with Doric columns in each bay. Four openings appear, one with twentieth-century screens and doors, and four half-domed recesses. A vine-trail frieze and dentillated cornice run around the space beneath an enriched ribbed dome with skylight.

On either side lies a hall with moulded cross-beam ceiling, cornice, and picture rail, and a round-arched opening to the rotunda. The west hall has two pairs of doors to the south and to the north-east an opening with two square piers. The east hall has two pairs of doors to the concert hall and to the north, two openings with square columns, the right one blocked.

This is an important civic building and a major work by the first City Architect of Kingston upon Hull.