Town Hall Including Screens And Public Lavatories Adjoining North East And South

The Town Hall, now serving as a public information centre and museum, was built between 1926 and 1928 by Vincent Harris, funded by a gift from W J Courtauld. It is constructed of red Flemish bond brick with Portland stone dressings, a porch, and a cupola, with a concrete roof structure concealed by a hipped plain tile roof. The building follows a double-pile plan, with a spine corridor and an expressed U-plan with a flat roof over the stair hall located between the wings at the rear. It has two storeys and a basement, with a prominent Piano Nobile level.

The front facade is five bays wide, featuring a moulded cornice and a band at the first floor level, along with a sill band to the ground floor windows and a plinth. A central Doric porch is surmounted by a balustrade with urns at the angles. The ground floor windows are unequal 20-pane sashes, while the Piano Nobile features 24-pane sashes in moulded architraves with cornices and aprons. Central French windows are positioned beneath a fixed light of glazed detail, accompanied by an architrave with consoles supporting an egg-and-dart cornice and foliate volute supports. The Doric cupola is composed of three stages, topped by a dome and a female figure holding a mirror, which represents the motto 'Hold to the Truth'. Clock faces and a coat of arms are also incorporated.

The side elevations are three bays wide and feature similar detailing to the front. The first floor of these side elevations has two 24-pane sashes with a small square central light. The rear elevation showcases similar detailing, except for a round-headed stained glass window within the stair hall, framed by an eared architrave with a key block and carved spandrels.

Screen walls extend along the north and south elevations. The northern screen wall includes a pair of round-headed pedestrian gates, a dwarf wall, and a pair of gateposts topped with urns and wrought iron gates. The southern screen wall incorporates central gates and adjoins public conveniences at the rear.

The interior retains its original decorative scheme with panelled rooms and original door and light fittings. Key features include a stone entrance hall, a vaulted spine corridor, and an Imperial staircase with a wrought iron balustrade. The first-floor Council Chamber has a barrel vault decorated with painted scenes on copper panels in the lunettes by Maurice Greiffenhagen, RA. The Chairman’s room is adorned with murals of the Four Seasons by Henry Rushbury RA, and a County map is painted on the ceiling.