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Chesterfield Town Hall

Chesterfield Town Hall
Chesterfield Town Hall
LocationRose Hill, Chesterfield
Coordinates53°14′12″N 1°25′56″W / 53.2368°N 1.4323°W / 53.2368; -1.4323
AreaDerbyshire
Built1938
ArchitectBradshaw Gass & Hope
Architectural style(s)Neo-Georgian style
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated30 March 1999
Reference no.1113305
Chesterfield Town Hall is located in Derbyshire
Chesterfield Town Hall
Shown in Derbyshire

Chesterfield Town Hall is a municipal building on Rose Hill, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

History

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An 18th century town hall was designed by a Mr. Carr of York and erected in the Market Place in 1790.[2][3] In the second half of 19th century the borough council met in a cramped municipal hall on the corner of Beetwell Street and South Street.[4] Chesterfield Corporation acquired the Stephenson Memorial Hall in 1889 and proceeded to create a more spacious council chamber by converting the lecture hall for use by the councillors in 1905.[5] An inquiry in a serious explosion at Grassmoor Colliery, which led to the deaths of 14 miners, was held in the council chamber in the Stephenson Memorial Hall in December 1933.[6]

A purpose-built facility on Rose Hill, which was designed by Bradshaw Gass & Hope in the Neo-Georgian style and built by Robert Carlyle Co of Manchester, was officially opened by Evelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire on 6 April 1938.[7] The sculptural decoration on the outside of the building was undertaken by Frank Tory and Sons[8] while the interior decoration involved extensive use of walnut panelling and the rooms were given an Egyptian theme to them; the ceilings were richly decorated with lotus flowers.[9]

A war memorial and some urns, terraces and steps which had been designed by Bradshaw Gass & Hope as part of the formal approach to the town hall was unveiled by the Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire on 8 May 1954.[10] The building, which had served as the meeting place of Borough of Chesterfield continued to be the local seat of government after enlargement of the council's area in 1974.[9]

An extensive refurbishment, at a cost of £2.7 million, was completed in autumn 2018.[11] Through the removal of interior walls, the works created extra space which enabled the Derbyshire Register Office and other public sector organisations to be accommodated in the building.[12][13] Works of art in the town hall include a portrait by Henry William Pickersgill of Richard Arkwright.[14]

References

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  1. ^ Historic England. "Chesterfield Town Hall (1113305)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. ^ Lewis, Samuel (1848). "A Topographical Dictionary of England". pp. 583–584.
  3. ^ Lysons, Daniel; Lysons, Samuel (1817). "'Parishes: Calke - Chesterfield', in Magna Britannia: Volume 5, Derbyshire". London: British History Online. pp. 70–89. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Brief History of Stephenson Memorial Hall". Chesterfield Borough Council. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Stephenson Memorial Hall". Chesterfield Borough Council. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Grassmoor Colliery Explosion". Northern Mine Research Society. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Chesterfield Town Hall is 80-years-old today". Derbyshire Times. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Frank Tory and Sons, architectural sculptors, Sheffield". Sheffield Archives. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  9. ^ a b "History of the Town Hall". Chesterfield Borough Council. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  10. ^ Historic England. "War memorial and steps in front of Chesterfield Town Hall (1113306)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  11. ^ "£2.7million revamp of Chesterfield Town Hall to be completed by autumn". Derbyshire Times. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Chesterfield Town Hall refurbishment plans to be discussed". Peak FM. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Plans To Refurbish Chesterfield Town Hall Revealed". Chesterfield Post. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  14. ^ Pickersgill, Henry William. "Richard Arkwright Junior (1755–1843)". Art UK. Retrieved 20 September 2020.