Town House, The Cross, Linlithgow

Burgh Halls comprising town house and old county hall, merged 1962, see also Kirkgate, Burgh Halls (former Old County Hall) listed separately.

Town house: John Smith, 1668-1670; restored after fire by Thomas Brown,1848; entrance steps replaced by iron loggia, 1810; steps restored by W Scott, 1906, interior alterations by Rowand Anderson, Kininmonth and Paul, 1962-1963. 2-storey and raised basement, 7-bay, rectangular-plan classical town-house with 6-stage tower at rear. Coursed, cream Kingscavil sandstone, ashlar dressings calcinated due to fire (restored in places) and ashlar to entrance facade. Cill course at 1st and 2nd floors, eaves course, cornice, blocking course. Lugged architraves and pediments to windows and (slightly larger) to doorcase at principal floor. Crown, fleur-de-lis, thistle, and rose in tympani; burgh crest of black greyhound chained to oak tree in entrance tympanum.

S (entrance) elevation: grand double ashlar staircase up to principal floor; stairs with base course, rusticated quoins, balusters and dies, 4 wrought-iron lamp standards; central doorpiece at ground with moulded architrave, cornice flanked by stairs; main entrance flanked by windows 1st; frieze over inscribed 'Destroyed by fire 1847 Restored 1848 Adam Dawson of Bonnytown Provost'.

W (side) elevation: 2-bay. Former entrance to prison at street level, later Fire Station, now blocked as windows, retains former Fire Station sign. Principal floor window left blocked.

E (side) elevation: 2-bay, (single-storey Masonic Hall abutting); window to each bay of principal and 1st floor.

N (rear) elevation: central tower flanked by 3 bays to right, left bays blocked by County Hall. To right, basement round-arched opening now blocked, restored windows at 1st, calcinated above.

Tower: 6-stage; coursed rubble, upper 3 stages coursed and squared; string courses dividing. N facade; square-headed windows to 3rd stage, round-headed in upper stages, clock face to S, E, and W facades. Blocked-up door at 2nd stage of return to right inscribed 'doorway to debtors prison struck out 1792 built up 1812'. Balustraded parapet. Louvred ventilator to roof.

12-pane glazing pattern in sash and case windows. Piended grey slate roof.

Interior: barrel-vaulted basement to left. Good chimneypieces 1st and 2nd floors.