Elland Town Hall
| Elland Town Hall | |
|---|---|
 Elland Town Hall | |
| Location | Southgate, Elland |
| Coordinates | 53°41′03″N 1°50′06″W / 53.6843°N 1.8350°W |
| Built | 1888 |
| Architect | Charles Frederick Luke Horsfall |
| Architectural style(s) | Italianate style |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | The Old Town Hall and 1 to 11 Town Hall Buildings |
| Designated | 13 May 1992 |
| Reference no. | 1248018 |
  Shown in West Yorkshire | |
Elland Town Hall is a municipal building in Southgate, Elland, West Yorkshire, England. The structure, which was primarily used as an events venue, is a Grade II listed building.[1]
History[edit]
The first municipal building in the town was a small square building at the south end of Southgate which was completed in 1821.[2] The building, which was known as the "Town's Room", was used as a lock-up and as an office for parish officials: it had an arched doorway, gothic windows and a sign above the doorway, quoting the Book of Proverbs Chapter 28, Clause 7, which read "whoso keeps the law is wise".[2] The local board of health, which was established in November 1852, used the town's room as its regular meeting place.[3]
In the early 1880s, the local board decided that the town needed an events venue capable of hosting large public events: the site they chose was directly opposite the old town's room.[2] A design completion was won by Charles Frederick Luke Horsfall from Halifax.[4] The foundation stone for the new building was laid on 21 June 1887.[5] It was designed in the Italianate style, built in brown brick at a cost of £7,000 and was officially opened by the diplomat John Savile, of Rufford Abbey, on 19 September 1888.[1] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with three bays facing onto the corner of Southgate and Huddersfield Road; the central bay, which slightly projected forward, featured a flight of steps leading up to a pair of round headed doorways with keystones flanked by pairs of full-height Corinthian order pilasters supporting an entablature and a modillioned pediment with a coat of arms in the tympanum.[1] The central bay also featured a prominent Venetian window with a balcony and a balustrade on the first floor, while the outer bays were fenestrated with round headed sash windows on both floors.[1] The roof was enhanced by a pair of mansard pavilions and by a small central cupola with a weather vane.[1] Internally, the principal room was the assembly hall which could accommodate 1,000 people.[5]
Following significant population growth, largely associated with Elland's status as a market town, the area was advanced to the status of urban district in 1894.[6] The new council chose to procure new council offices on a site just to the north of the town hall.[5] In June 1909 a clock, by J. Smith & Sons,[7] was installed in the cupola: it was a gift to the town from Lewis Mackrell, in memory of his father, James Mackrell, who had been the proprietor of a local engineering company.[8][9]
The town hall continued to be used for concerts and public events but was converted for use as the Town Hall Cinema in October 1909.[10][11] The building was renamed the Palladium Cinema in 1920 and continued to operate in that capacity until June 1959.[10][12] It then operated for as a bingo hall until 1977 and subsequently as a snooker club,[10] but had to be fully restored after being badly damaged in a fire in November 1994.[5] It then functioned as a fitness centre before being returned to use as a banqueting facility.[10] Meanwhile, the ground floor on the Southgate side of the building, which operated as a row of shops for much of the 20th century, has more recently been fitted out for restaurant use.[10]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Historic England. "The Old Town Hall and 1 to 11 Town Hall Buildings (1248018)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Peach, Howard (2008). Olde Yorkshire Punishments. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 978-0752446615.
- ^ "Growth of Population and Industry". A History of Elland. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ The Building News and Engineering Journal. Vol. 52. 17 June 1887. p. 938.
- ^ a b c d "Elland Town Hall". Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Elland UD". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "The Building Trade". The Builder. C (3548): 151. 3 February 1911.
- ^ "James Mackrell and Co". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Town Hall, and St Paul's Methodist Church, Elland". Calderdale Council. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Palladium Cinema". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ Hargreaves, Brian; Hargreaves, Emily (2009). Elland Through Time. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1848686199.
- ^ "Halifax Theatres and Cinemas". Halifax People. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
