Town Hall

TAMWORTH

SK2003NE MARKET STREET 670-1/9/128 Town Hall 11/05/50

GV II*

Town Hall and butter market. 1701; extension of 1811 was rebuilt 1845. For Sir Thomas Guy. Chequer brick with ashlar dressings; hipped tile roof with brick lateral stacks. 2-storey rectangular structure with arcaded ground floor and 2-storey extension to rear. Ground floor has 2-bay arcade on Doric columns with archivolts and keystones, string course above; 1st floor has quoins and top modillioned cornice and pediment; 2 round-arched windows with keystones over small-paned glazing flank architraved plaque with pediment and inscription recording erection; Sir T.Guy's coat of arms to apron; oval cartouche with town arms above; clock face to pediment. Roof has hexagonal louvre with modillioned cornice and ogival cupola with wind vane. 5-window returns have 1st floor windows with rubbed brick flat arches and keystones over small-paned cross-casements; left return has blind window and lateral stack. Extension has 2-window range and 3-window returns: older brick work to plinth; platt band over ground floor and boxed eaves; entrance to left return up steps has ashlar doorcase with pilasters and entablature and 6-panel door; windows with rubbed brick flat arches and keystones over small-paned cross-casements; 2 lateral stacks to right return. INTERIOR: open ground floor has longitudinal arcade supporting chamfered beams; rooms have cornices and architraved windows; open-well stair with stick balusters and wreathed handrail; 1st floor council chamber has ceiling with fluted fans to angles, air vents to angles and flanking fireplace, which is early C19, marble with grate; 1814 Royal Arms opposite gallery with turned balusters and moulded rail; paired 6-panel doors; roof to 1701 part has pegged collar trusses with diagonal braces, trusses to former hip remain. History: Sir Thomas Guy was an important local benefactor, founder of the Guy's Almshouses, Tamworth, and of Guy's Hospital, London. Sir Robert Peel P.M. helped fund the addition, and he made his Tamworth Manifesto address here in 1835. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire: London: 1974-: 278).

Listing NGR: SK2072803960