Webster Memorial Theatre, 64 High Street

The Webster Memorial Theatre, located at 64 High Street, was designed by James Maclaren in 1865 and has undergone renovations and extensions in 1951, 1967, and 2008. This well-detailed, two-storey, five-bay Classical public hall and theatre is prominently situated on High Street, with modern extensions at the rear.

The ground floor features channelled detailing and vermiculated quoins, along with polished ashlar Doric columns and pilasters. A carved head keystone is positioned above the central door. The first floor showcases vermiculated pilasters that support an entablature with a triglyphed frieze and a cavetto cornice. A central pediment, which contains a blind oculus in the tympanum, is flanked by a further set-back entablature with a plain (altered?) frieze and carved details at the dies. The building is constructed of ashlar with dry dash on the sides and rear, and it features round-headed openings for the central door on both the ground and first floors, complete with keystoned hoodmoulds and voussoirs.

The principal east elevation includes a modern semicircular canopy that fronts the three central bays, which consist of a two-leaf door and a decoratively-astragalled semicircular fanlight leading to a blind portico. This is flanked by deep-set two-leaf doors with multi-pane fanlights and windows in the outer bays. The first floor has regular full-height fenestration, with all bays separated by dividing pilasters. The windows on the principal elevation feature 8- and 12-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case. The roof is covered with grey slates.

Inside, much of the space was reworked during the 2008 modernization, including the foyer, staircase, and theatre area. However, the first-floor hall retains fine decorative plasterwork on the cornices and ceiling.