Old Town Hall, Falmouth
The Old Town Hall is a historic building in Falmouth, Cornwall, a town in England.
The building was constructed as a Congregational chapel, probably between 1700 and 1710.[1] It is one of the oldest surviving non-conformist chapels in Cornwall, with only the Marazion Quaker Meeting House being older, and the one in Kea being of similar date.[2]
In 1715, a new, larger chapel was constructed, and the old building was acquired by the lord of the manor, Martin Lister Killigrew of Arwenack Manor.[2] He presented it to the people of Falmouth in 1725, and the local corporation then used it as a town hall. It was also used as a courthouse, accommodating both the assizes and the County Court.[1] In 1866, the council moved to larger premises on the Moor, and the building was sold to the Odd Fellows. In 1948, the Odd Fellows sold the hall, which became an antiques shop, and has more recently served as an art gallery.[3][4] The building was grade II* listed in 1968.[2]
The building is constructed of painted brick, with quoins styled in stucco. The front is symmetrical, with two round-arched windows, and a central door. The building is two rooms deep. Inside, there is a decorative plaster ceiling, 18th-century dado panelling, and a staircase with reused 18th century elements.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Blue plaque is to go up on Falmouth's Old Town Hall". Falmouth Packet. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Old Town Hall, Falmouth (1270068)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Former town hall and attached fire station". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Falmouth's First Town Hall, 1725 -1866". The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. Retrieved 8 June 2024.