Town Hall

The Town Hall, dated 1596, is constructed of hammerdressed rubble with a modern pitched roof. The building originally stood freestanding, and it shares a similar design to town halls in Minchinhampton, Tetbury, and Dursley, though its form is adapted to the sloping site.

The original central gable features mullioned attic windows on two floors, each with a hood mould. Below, three mullioned and transom windows are present on the first floor, with hood moulds over the side windows. The central window is an eight-light oriel, topped with a cornice and supported by a central pier that progressively corbelled out with elaborate scrolled brackets. Two Tuscan columns are set against this pier, standing on high plinths and supporting a full entablature and an elaborate scroll. The ground floor has two four-centred arches with moulded voussoirs, flanked by two round arches featuring lion masks on their keystones. Two massive buttresses support the ground and first floors.

Later mid-19th century staircase wings flank the original structure. These are built of ashlar and feature battlemented parapets, stringcourses with lion masks, paired lancet windows with polychrome relieving arches, and quatrefoil oculi above with polychrome voussoirs. A mid-19th century extension to the north is also constructed of ashlar, with a battlemented parapet and three ranges of mullioned windows with hoodmoulds.

The Town Hall forms a group with other listed buildings on The Market, including numbers 53 to 55 and The Bedford Arms on High Street.