List Entry Summary
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Name: TOWN HALL
List Entry Number: 1297550
Location
TOWN HALL, MARKET PLACE
The building may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
County:
District: County Durham
District Type: Unitary Authority
Parish: Bishop Auckland
National Park: Not applicable to this List entry.
Grade: II*
Date first listed: 20-Sep-1972
Date of most recent amendment: Not applicable to this List entry.
Legacy System Information
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System: LBS
UID: 385723
Asset Groupings
This List entry does not comprise part of an Asset Grouping. Asset Groupings are not part of the official record but are added later for information.
List Entry Description
Summary of Building
Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.
Reasons for Designation
Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.
History
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Details
BISHOP AUCKLAND
NZ2130 MARKET PLACE
634-1/8/96 Town Hall
20/09/72
GV II*
Town hall and market, with reading room and assembly room,
originally incorporating 2 shops. In process of conversion to
community centre and library. 1860-62. By JP Jones. For Bishop
Auckland Town Hall and Market Company Ltd. Design modified by
John Johnstone of Newcastle. C20 internal alterations.
MATERIALS: coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings,
and Welsh slate roof with bands of fishscale.
PLAN: Gothic Revival style. Symmetrical.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, 6x8 windows. Paired 2-centred arches in
central bays have wide pilasters with elaborate foliage
capitals. Left arch blocked and containing 2-light window with
2-centred heads in stone lintel. 3 large moulded stone
brackets over pilasters support first-floor pierced stone
balcony. Former shops flanking entrance each have 4-panelled
double doors and overlights flanked by paired windows, all
with shouldered heads and nookshafts. First-floor string.
Aprons and sloping sills to tall first-floor windows which
have pointed arches and plate tracery, with 2 shouldered
lights below transom formed by impost string on which
dripmoulds rest. Central pair open onto balcony. Eaves corbel
table.
Steeply pitched hipped roofs over outer pairs of bays linked
by ridge of principal roof with high central octagonal louvred
lantern, with 8 lucarnes at base of tall spirelet. Gabled
clock faces in east and west fronts of base to lantern. Tall
gabled 2-light dormers in main roof have roundels in gable
peaks; lancets in 3 stepped lucarnes in flanking hipped roofs
which have ornamental cast-iron crestings. Long left return in
similar style but without central emphasis.
INTERIOR shows ribbed quadripartite vaults, with leaf
terminals, to entrance arches. Central covered market hall has
small shop units opening off, most altered but some with
cast-iron piers visible, and one with small corner cast-iron
fire surround. Main and subsidiary stairs have iron balusters
with hollow-moulded corners supporting moulded handrail,
wreathed at foot on fluted newel. Hall along front on first
floor has wave-moulded frieze and hammer-beam roof, shallow
north apse with fluted Corinthian pilasters and shallow
segmental head to proscenium arch. Proscenium arch in front,
c1960 is to be removed in current restoration. Council chamber
inserted over covered market has borough arms in stained glass
of windows high in wall. Interior being altered at time of
survey (1991).
(Builder: April 1860: 210-211; ; Views of Bishop Auckland
1860-67: UD/BA/238).
Listing NGR: NZ2115730135
Selected Sources
Books and journals'The Builder' in April, (1860), 210-11
OtherViews of Bishop Auckland 1860-67,
Map
National Grid Reference: NZ 21157 30135
The below map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. For a copy of the full scale map, please see the attached PDF - 1297550.pdf - Please be aware that it may take a few minutes for the download to complete.
© Crown Copyright and database right 2018. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.
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This copy shows the entry on 26-Apr-2024 at 02:35:45.