Description

OLDHAM

SD9204NE YORKSHIRE STREET
780-1/6/99 (East side)
23/01/73 Town Hall
(Formerly Listed as:
YORKSHIRE STREET
Town Hall)
(Formerly Listed as:
GREAVES STREET
Side facade of the Town Hall)

GV II

Town Hall, incorporating courts and civic offices. 1841,
extended 1879-80. By George Woodhouse of Bolton, Edward Potts
of Oldham.
Main block facing Yorkshire Street, ashlar faced, rusticated
to ground floor, with slate roof. Austere Greek revival style.
2 storeys, 7 bays with Ionic portico advanced to central 3
bays. City arms in pediment. Central paired panelled doors
with overlight in architrave with entablature carried on
console brackets. The outer bays are articulated by shallow
pilasters, and each has a 2-pane sash window. Returns are
brick with stone dressings, and are linked to the later
extensions which form long ranges fronting Greaves Street and
Firth Street.
Elevation to Greaves Street is sandstone ashlar, rusticated to
ground floor, and vermiculated to massive basement plinth.
Two-and-a-half storeys with attic, 5 bays, with 3 windows in
outer and central bays. Central entrance in concave recessed
architrave with Gibbs surround and massive keystone. Windows
over doorway in recess spanned by high arch. Tripartite leaded
window to first floor with cast-iron balconette. Round-arched
leaded window to second floor.
The advanced outer bays have coupled Ionic piers to first
floor, carrying heavy cornice each side of the high central
arch. Between these piers are concave full-height architraves
divided by a band of stone carrying coats of arms in high
relief. Square windows in moulded architraves to attic storey
above. Greek key frieze over attic storey which has windows in
the outer bays, and raised central blocking course with
incised panels.
Return elevation of 3 bays with doorway with high arch over
central window and doorways on upper side. Long white glazed
brick wing to west, comprising original courts and police
accommodation: ventilation towers from cells still visible in
roof.
Return elevation to Greaves Street comprises a series of
blocks employing a free monumental classical style.
To rear of Firth Street block, 4 bays articulated by engaged
Ionic pilasters over the ground floor, with heavy modillion
cornice below attic storey, then advanced block, divided above
the ground floor into three bays articulated by pilasters, the
wider central bay blind. Attic storey over cornice. Beyond
this, 2 similar blocks of 3 bays articulated by Corinthian
pilasters over high basement, and with balustraded parapets.
INTERIOR of original building has central corridor running the
length of the original building, with staircase towards rear.
Corridor gives access to main stair hall of additional block,
which has stained glass window with figures representing
industry, science, etc.
Original building intended to include magistrates and
committee rooms, public meeting and concert rooms, and borough
surveyors offices. Wing of 1880 included police and courts
accommodation, in addition to council chamber, mayor's
parlour, and committee rooms.
(Slater: Directory of Oldham: Oldham: 1895-).

Listing NGR: SD9272805019

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Town Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q26497361

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

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