Description

NEWARK ON TRENT

SK7953NE MARKET PLACE
619-1/8/247 (West side)
29/09/50 Town Hall

GV I

Town Hall and former gaol. 1774-6, with late C18 and mid C19
additions. By John Carr of York. Restored 1989-91 by Guy St
John Taylor Associates and James Brotherhood Associates.
Mansfield white sandstone ashlar and brick with slate roof.
Plinth, frieze, dentillated cornice, open balustrade with urns
at the corners. Windows are glazing bar sashes.3 storeys; 7
window range.
Projecting 3-bay centre has a giant tetrastyle Doric portico
with balustrade, and pediment containing the Town Arms, topped
with a central figure of Justice renewed c1983. At the angles
of the pediment, pedestals with a lion to left and a unicorn
to right. Within the portico, 3 tall windows, the central one
pedimented and the flanking ones corniced. Above them, 3
smaller windows. Outer first floor windows have cornices and
pseudo-balustrades. Smaller second floor windows have moulded
architraves.
Rusticated ground floor has round arched openings with
multiple keystones and impost band. In the centre, 3 doorways
with wrought iron grilles and gates. Beyond, single glazing
bar windows and beyond again, single doorways with half-glazed
doors with fanlights.
To left, late C18 addition forming Mayor's Secretary's office.
Red brick with ashlar lintels and slate roof. 4 storeys;
single window range of glazing bar sashes, and a round arched
entry with keystone.
Interior has an outstanding ballroom with paired pilasters and
domed apsidal ends, screened by pairs of giant Corinthian
columns. Coved compartmented ceiling by Kilminster of Derby.
Central enriched marble fireplace on each side wall. Front has
4 doors in decorated surrounds, and rear 2 doors. Rear has
central window with fanlight, flanked by single busts on
console brackets.
Central council chamber has metope and triglyph frieze,
ceiling bosses and door and window architraves with cornices.
Mayor's Parlour and picture room have moulded cornices,
elaborate doorcases and marble and wood fireplaces.
Oval stairwell has dogleg stair with winders and ramped and
scrolled mahogany handrail.
Below the ballroom, an 8 x 3 bay market hall with Doric
arcades and engaged columns in the aisles. Round arched side
openings. On the north side, former gaol, mid C19, brick, with
slate roof. Single storey, with 3 windows and 4 doors, one of
them blocked, all with segmental heads.
The Town hall is descibed as " a fine example of its type and
period" (Pevsner) and is a good example of the work of John
Carr.
(Buildings of England: N Pevsner, revised E Williamson:
Nottinghamshire: London: 1979-: 190-192).

Listing NGR: SK7981053908

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Town Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17527978

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)