Description

WANDSWORTH HIGH STREET
TQ 2574
(north side)
1207-/12/10019 Wandsworth Town Hall Town Hall
(including walls and gates)
II

Town Hall. 1935-7 by Edward A Hunt. Portland stone and brick, hipped pantiled roof
Triangular plan adapted to busy corner site, with central forecourt leading to main entrance and
projecting first-floor council chamber to rear. Three storeys. Exterior with banded rustication
to ground floor, tripartite metal windows in unmoulded surrounds, deep eaves and moulded
cornice adorned with incised bands and decorative bands incorporating capitals to orders implied
in the vertical bands of stonework below. Bas relief frieze depicting events in Wandsworth's
history by David Evans and John Linehan. Fifteen-bay front to Wandsworth High Street
culminates in three-bay projecting wing with two-storey round-arched staircase window under
stepped architrave and fluted cornice. Canted five bay cornerpiece surmounted by finial leads
eye to fifteen-bay return to Fairfield Street with projecting three-bay terminal block. Similar
canted block with finial the other side of recessed entrance front of seven bays, with carriage
opening under Vitruvian scroll band with central coat of arms. Elaborate cast-iron railings with
rosette decoration on stone plinth, with piers topped by sarcophagal urns and double gates form
part of the composition.
Inner courtyard with Portland stone centrepiece fronting principal members' rooms, over
entrance double doors. These lead to marble-lined hall with hexagonal coffering and round
pendant lightfittings, from which imperial stair with bronze balustrades rise to upper hall, under
square piers with well and walls lined in African onyx and with pendant glass chandelier.
Committee rooms overlooking forecourt, offices for Leader of the Council and the Opposition
either side: all with English oak panelling, moulded cornices and ceilings and pink art-deco glass
hanging light fittings. Mayoral parlour with panelling, cornice mouldings, bolection-mould
fireplace with tiled surrounds and grate, and tapestry overmantle; linked via internal door to
panelled office of Town Clerk. Council chamber projects at rear of site, flat-floored with
separate, raised gallery for press and public. Canted six-sided chamber, with diagonal-paned top
lights; oak panelling with acoustic plaster and fabric hangings over. Full suite of councillors'
furniture and elaborate chandelier.
The corridors and many subsiduary rooms also panelled in English oak with moulded plaster
ceilings. Included as an unusually lavish and well-planned town hall, surviving in excellent
condition.

Listing NGR: TQ2577774710

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wandsworth Town Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q26536950

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

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)