Town Hall

The Town Hall, built around 1700 and extensively restored in 1889, features a timber frame raised on stone columns and has a hipped stone slate roof. The ground floor is open and supported by 15 tapered oolite stone columns with bulbous capitals and torus bases. A staircase with heavy turned balusters and moulded strings leads to the upper floor, which consists of three-and-a-half bays, including a former Council chamber and an office in a half bay. The elevation displays straight corner braces and herringbone framing beneath leaded wood casement windows, likely enhanced during the 1889 restoration by Lady Meux. The infill panels are whitened and bear the Meux arms along with the inscription "REST ANNO 1889" at both ends. The roof now features a weathercock in place of the original central timber lantern. Inside, timber posts with jowled tops support chamfered and stopped tie beams, while cross ties were removed when the ceiling was raised to collar level during the restoration. The staircase was partly renewed at that time, and there is a six-panelled door and a chair dated 1686. The building, designed in a conservative style, was presented to the borough by Lawrence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, to serve as a Council Chamber and Court Room. The ownership was transferred to the town in 1895, coinciding with the removal of the Blind House from beneath the stair.