7974

 

II*  

Designated  

19/07/1950  

16/12/2005  

The Town Hall  

 

Powys  

Montgomery  

Montgomery  

 

322214  

296451  

 

Situated in centre of Montgomery, facing E down Broad Street.  

Civil  

 

Town hall and market, originally of 1748, by William Baker of Audlem, remodelled with upper storey raised in 1828 by Thomas Penson for Lord Clive. The lower floor was the market, the arches open until c. 1900 and the upper floor used for the Quarter Sessions and meetings of the Borough Corporation. In 1828 a back addition was provided with the main entrance (part infilled for toilet) and stair to the upper floor and an additional rear room for the assize courts. The clock tower was added in 1921, and an addition at rear SW for fire-pump with retiring room over was added in the 1930s. The hall by Baker, as illustrated in 1784, comprised the ground floor with a low upper floor lit only by a lunette in the centre and an eaves-breaking window in each end wall. Above the lunette, at eaves level, was a raised band, carved arms and a clock, and then an open pediment with small cupola. The 1828 upper floor had a tiny cupola with bell, replaced by the clock turret, for which the clock in the pediment was removed. The 1921 clock turret is a memorial to Dr N. Fairles-Humphreys of Bank House.  

Town hall and market, red brick with deep-eaved hipped roof of small slates, with central clock tower. Two storeys, E front of 5 bays with centre broad bay slightly projected with plain timber and brick pediment. Brickwork of different colour to ground floor. First floor has raised eaves band, and large sash windows with gauged brick heads and stone sills, 12-pane apart from centre which has broad cambered-headed triple sash of 4-12-4 panes. Painted stone band over ground floor of side bays only, and thin impost band in painted stone right across. The outer arches have painted stone keystones and c1900 glazing with radiating bars to heads, stone sills and brick infill below. Centre arch is wider and taller with painted triple keystone and two ashlar blocks in jambs each side. Folding c1900 panelled doors, and iron radiating-bar big fanlight. The arches were originally open with iron rails. Clock tower on centre ridge is large with slated sloping base, four clock faces, pyramid roof and louvred top lantern with pyramid roof and weathervane. Plaque at front left to 1921 clock tower. Four iron tie-rod ends. N and S ends have a first floor 12-pane sash, the broad band carried around with triple keystone over a broad arched doorway with fanlight as on front. Folding doors and iron bars to fanlight. Similar impost string course and painted blocks in jambs. N end first floor window is blank. Rear has centre extension of 1828 of two storeys with flat roof, sandstone ashlar cornice to sides and rebated big quadrant-curved corners, and terminated against sides of slightly projected broad pedimented W centrepiece. This has plastered blind roundel in pediment, first floor triple sash as on E front, and ground floor broad arched doorway with triple keystone. Two C20 doors within and altered fanlight. Painted stone bands: above ground floor but not in centre bay, and at impost level. Bands are continued around windowless rear left of main range and also around two-storey 1933 addition in rear right.  

Market Hall has three cast-iron columns and modern ceiling (a fourth pillar is now concealed, they are stamped J. Morris Welshpool). One arch on back wall. Impost band. Rear has plain entrance hall and apsidal stone staircase to NW with plain iron railing up to large Upper long room with plaster panelled ceiling in three sections with deep moulded plastered beams, the centre section subdivided into three panels, the centre one with acanthus rose. Stage bay divided off at S end. Screen to rear room has four full-height thin timber pilasters, with panelled screens between in upper halves of openings.  

Included at grade II* as an exc eptionally well-preserved large Georgian market hall, the focal point of the town - its townscape and civic history.