Masonic Hall

This building began as a theatre around 1750, was later used as a Roman Catholic church, and is now a Masonic Hall. It was altered and extended in 1775, and subsequently reconstructed following bomb damage during the Second World War. The design is attributed to Thomas Jelly, with involvement from John Hippisley and John Palmer.

The exterior is constructed of limestone ashlar, with the ground floor rendered and painted. The roof is not visible from the front, but the rear is finished with Welsh slate. The building is three storeys high and has ten windows on the top floor, arranged two:three:three:two. The windows are late 18th-century sashes, mostly six-over-six pane, with plain beaded architraves. The first floor has a two:three:two:two window arrangement, and the ground floor has a two:two:three arrangement. A stone Doric pedimented doorway with double-panelled doors is on the right; this doorway was added after 1866 for the Freemasons. A further door, with six panels and a rectangular light above, was added to the left, presumably as a stage entrance. A platband runs along the first floor. There is a cornice and parapet, partially heightened at the stage end. The rear elevation is of rubble construction with freestone dressings. The windows are a mix of small-paned sashes, some six-over-six with arched heads, three with flat heads, and a tall stair window with a six/six/six pane arrangement and cambered and arched heads.

The interior has been heavily altered and largely rebuilt. Originally, the auditorium was oriented parallel to the street.

Historically, this was a significant theatre outside of London, especially between 1790 and 1805, receiving a Royal licence in 1767 – the first provincial theatre to do so. Prominent actors such as Garrick, Kemble, and Siddons performed here. A print from 1804 depicts the original doorway arrangement. The theatre closed in 1805 before the opening of the new Theatre Royal in Beauford Square. Subsequently, the building was used as a Roman Catholic chapel from 1809, and then as a Freemasons' Hall after the Catholics relocated to St. John's in 1866. The present pedimented entrance dates from the Freemasons’ period of use.