Chesterfield Town Hall

Chesterfield Town Hall is a municipal building on Rose Hill, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

Chesterfield Town Hall
Chesterfield Town Hall
LocationRose Hill, Chesterfield
Coordinates53.2368°N 1.4323°W / 53.2368; -1.4323
AreaDerbyshire
Built1938
ArchitectBradshaw Gass & Hope
Architectural style(s)Neo-Georgian style
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated30 March 1999
Reference no.1113305
Shown in Derbyshire

History

An 18th century town hall was designed by a Mr. Carr of York and erected in the Market Place in 1790.[2][3] In the second half of 19th century the borough council met in a cramped municipal hall on the corner of Beetwell Street and South Street.[4] Chesterfield Corporation acquired the Stephenson Memorial Hall in 1889 and proceeded to create a more spacious council chamber by converting the lecture hall for use by the councillors in 1905.[5] An inquiry in a serious explosion at Grassmoor Colliery, which led to the deaths of 14 miners, was held in the council chamber in the Stephenson Memorial Hall in December 1933.[6]

A purpose-built facility on Rose Hill, which was designed by Bradshaw Gass & Hope in the Neo-Georgian style and built by Robert Carlyle Co of Manchester, was officially opened by Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire on 6 April 1938.[7] The sculptural decoration on the outside of the building was undertaken by Frank Tory and Sons[8] while the interior decoration involved extensive use of walnut panelling and the rooms were given an Egyptian theme to them; the ceilings were richly decorated with lotus flowers.[9]

A war memorial and some urns, terraces and steps which had been designed by Bradshaw Gass & Hope as part of the formal approach to the town hall was unveiled by the Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire on 8 May 1954.[10] The building, which had served as the meeting place of Borough of Chesterfield continued to be the local seat of government after enlargement of the council's area in 1974.[9]

An extensive refurbishment, at a cost of £2.7 million, was completed in autumn 2018.[11] Through the removal of interior walls, the works created extra space which enabled the Derbyshire Register Office and other public sector organisations to be accommodated in the building.[12][13] Works of art in the town hall include a portrait by Henry William Pickersgill of Richard Arkwright.[14]

References
  1. Historic England. "Chesterfield Town Hall (1113305)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. Lewis, Samuel (1848). "A Topographical Dictionary of England". pp. 583–584.
  3. Lysons, Daniel; Lysons, Samuel (1817). "'Parishes: Calke - Chesterfield', in Magna Britannia: Volume 5, Derbyshire". London: British History Online. pp. 70–89. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  4. "Brief History of Stephenson Memorial Hall". Chesterfield Borough Council. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  5. "Stephenson Memorial Hall". Chesterfield Borough Council. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  6. "Grassmoor Colliery Explosion". Northern Mine Research Society. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  7. "Chesterfield Town Hall is 80-years-old today". Derbyshire Times. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  8. "Frank Tory and Sons, architectural sculptors, Sheffield". Sheffield Archives. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  9. "History of the Town Hall". Chesterfield Borough Council. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  10. Historic England. "War memorial and steps in front of Chesterfield Town Hall (1113306)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  11. "£2.7million revamp of Chesterfield Town Hall to be completed by autumn". Derbyshire Times. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  12. "Chesterfield Town Hall refurbishment plans to be discussed". Peak FM. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  13. "Plans To Refurbish Chesterfield Town Hall Revealed". Chesterfield Post. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  14. Pickersgill, Henry William. "Richard Arkwright Junior (1755–1843)". Art UK. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
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