The Guildhall

The Guildhall, originally a house and later a guildhall, is now used as council offices. It was built around 1700 and is constructed of brick with a hipped Welsh slate roof. The building has two storeys and features a five-window range. A central door is accessed by steps leading up to an early 19th-century porch, which has paired fluted Doric columns and a triglyph frieze. The original inner doorcase is adorned with an enriched moulded architrave, featuring scrolls and swags on either side, along with a crown and boughs above it.

The windows are flush-framed 12-pane sashes with flat-arched, finely gauged brick heads and a continuous sill band. The deep modillion eaves band complements the overhanging roof, which includes three dormers with alternately triangular and segmental pediments. The building also has stressed angle quoins.

The garden front mirrors the five-window range and features three pedimented dormers. The lower windows consist of full-height sashes, with one extended to form French doors. There are two axial stacks, both of which are later additions or rebuilds.

Inside, many rooms have wall panelling, and the staircase features twisted balusters and a moulded rail, which may date from a later refurbishment of the house. The fireplace in the entrance hall is decorated with tiles in the style of William de Morgan. The house was built by Richard Earl of Bradford on a site that was previously occupied by what is now Castle Gates House.