Old Town Hall, Carlisle

The Old Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Place, Carlisle, England. It is a Grade I listed building.[1]

Old Town Hall, Carlisle
Old Town Hall
LocationMarket Place, Carlisle
Coordinates54.8948°N 2.9358°W / 54.8948; -2.9358
Built1669
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated1 June 1949
Reference no.1218104
Shown in Cumbria

History

The current building was commissioned to replace an earlier "moot hall" on the site which dated back to 1345.[2] The new building, with commercial facilities on the ground floor and assembly rooms on the first floor, was completed in 1669.[1] It was extended to the east with an extra section incorporating a clock tower in 1717 and to the west with an extra three-storey section in the 19th century.[1] The market cross in front of the town hall, which was designed by Thomas Machell and carved from stone by Thomas Addison, with its sundial and a lion holding a scroll with the city's coat of arms, was erected in 1682.[3]

In 1853 the first pillar box in the United Kingdom was installed nearby and a replica "Penfold" pillar box, in the style of the original post boxes designed by William Penfold with acanthus leaves, balls and the Royal coat of arms,[4] was subsequently erected outside the town hall to commemorate this.[5] The original clock in the tower of the town hall, which had been made by John Sanderson of Wigton, was replaced with a modern mechanism, made by Potts of Leeds, in 1900.[6]

The assembly rooms were used for the courts of assize until 1881 and magistrates' courts were held there until 1941.[2] Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, visited the building to mark the city's 800th anniversary and signed the visitors' book there in October 1958.[7][8][9]

The building remained the headquarters of the County Borough of Carlisle until the council moved to Carlisle Civic Centre in Rickergate in March 1964.[10] After the building became vacant, a tourist information centre was established on the first floor.[11]

A major restoration of the building, involving asbestos removal, repairs to the roof and improved disabled access, was carried out at a cost of £0.5 million in 2013.[11] A 17th century court book was discovered in the clock tower during the restoration work.[12] Further improvements, involving restoration of the original wood panelling and fireplaces, was carried out in the assembly rooms in 2017; the assembly rooms hosted the first wedding in the building's history later that year.[13]

References
  1. Historic England. "Old Town Hall, Carlisle (1218104)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  2. "Old Town Hall". Discover Carlisle. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  3. Historic England. "Market Cross, Carlise (1297369)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  4. "Designer of rare Carlisle post box honoured". News and Star. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  5. "A short introduction to the history of the British Pillar Box". Colne Valley Postal History Museum. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  6. "Town Hall Clock". Carlisle's History. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  7. "Royal Visit to Carlisle, 1958". Cumbria Image Bank. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  8. "Lost Royal Film of Carlisle". Cumbria Film Archive. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  9. "Octo-centenary Celebrations 1158-1958; Visit of Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Official Souvenir Programme" (PDF). City of Carlisle. 16 October 1958. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  10. "Carlisle civic centre: Campaigners fight for 'soulless office block'". BBC. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  11. "Carlisle's Old Town Hall renovation: Full report". ITV. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  12. "Carlisle town hall renovation uncovers debt book from 1669". BBC. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  13. "Carlisle's Old Town Hall hosts its first wedding in 350 year history". News and Star. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
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