Former Town Hall and Medway Arts Centre

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 27 June 2023 to amend the name and address

TQ7568SE 762-1/2/7

CHATHAM THE BROOK Old Town Hall

(Formerly Listed as DOCK ROAD (North East side) Former Town Hall and Medway Arts Centre, previously listed as DOCK ROAD Town Hall and Medway Arts Centre)

01/06/90

II

Town hall, now arts centre. 1899, by GE Bond, converted 1988. Bath limestone ashlar with ragstone rock-faced plinth and slate roof with copper cupola.

STYLE: Free Renaissance.

PLAN: irregular quadrangular plan with central well.

EXTERIOR: three storeys and basement; south west front is three and a half bays. Symmetrical five-bay section has projecting three-window centre, rusticated ground floor and cornices between floors, with a raised, pedimented centre dated 1899; four round-arched ground floor windows, tripartite first floor windows with the Chatham City arms, and round-arched second-floor windows with foliate aprons. Three-bay left-hand section divided by giant attached columns to upper floors with figures on top and blocked pilasters beneath, blocked round arches to ground floor are entrances and to first floor open with balustrades. To the left, a three-stage square tower with a curved balcony and clock to each side, with an open bell turret with projecting corners with paired columns, and an octagonal, domed cupola. North west elevation is four bays with a central first and second storey canted bay, and round-arched ground-floor windows. South east elevation to former Council chamber has eight bays divided by pilasters, paired round-arched ground floor windows and large depressed three-centre arched upper windows with mullions and transoms and carved aprons, the right-hand gable return in three sections with a large three-centre arched upper window in a raised central section, with pedimented parapet. North corner a two storey range including a chamfered corner with a large five-light oriel on a moulded corbelled base. Balustrade extends all round.

INTERIOR: richly detailed, includes a large entrance hall with curved stair with decorative rail and newel, first floor enriched former Council Chamber to rear has a cast-iron balcony, wainscotting and panelling, large former meeting hall with proscenium arch and six roof trusses, Mayor's Parlour with original sanitary fittings and ceramic tiles, and half-glazed doors with enriched surrounds.

Listing NGR: TQ7585568148