Listing Text

SD 5805 SW, 24-1/8/26

WIGAN,
KING STREET (north-east side),
Former Town Hall

(Formerly Listed as: KING STREET Town Hall)

12/11/90

II

Town Hall, unoccupied at time of inspection (June 1992).
1866-7, by Nuttall and Cook. Sandstone ashlar ground floor,
otherwise red brick in Flemish bond with sandstone dressings;
slate roofs. Irregular plan on corner site, with main ranges
to King Street on the west and Rodney Street on the north.
Italianate style.

EXTERIOR: Two storeys over basements, 1:4:1:4 bays to each
facade, linked by a convex corner, the end, centre and corner
bays breaking forwards slightly and containing round-headed
doorways, the intermediate ranges arcaded at ground floor with
pilastered piers and large round-headed windows with panelled
aprons: all these openings with moulded heads and large
keystones which have carved festoons, linked by a
string-course carried round the whole. The doorways at the
corner and at the end of each facade have foliated carving in
the tympanums, that at the corner with lettering "A 1866 D".
The King Street facade has basement windows protected by
spear-head railings. At first floor the entrance bays are
pilastered and have round-headed windows with enrichment as at
ground floor, and parapets with pedimented upstands flanked by
urns, that at the corner displaying the Wigan coat of arms;
the intermediate ranges have square-headed sashed windows with
architraves including pentice cornices on consoles, and a
prominent modillioned cornice with a parapet of cast-iron
foliated openwork railings with standards in the form of tall
urns on pedestals. Various corniced ridge chimneys, and to the
rear an unusual large rectangular tapered stack with panelled
sides and ball finials at the corners.

INTERIOR (as reported in 1990) includes intact Council Chamber
with two tiers of seating, the mayoral chair under open pediment
with inlaid back; rostrum and dado panelling, contemporary
doorcases. Panelled ceiling with heraldic paintings, and
glazed lantern. Three round-headed windows with good heraldic
glass (shields, with clear patterned ground).

Listing NGR: SD5838305409