Description

BOLTON

SD7109SE VICTORIA SQUARE
797-1/17/229 (West side)
26/04/72 Town Hall

GV II*

Town Hall. 1866-1873, extended 1938. William Hill of Leeds,
architect of original building, assisted by George Woodhouse.
Extensions by Bradshaw, Gass and Hope. Ashlar, rusticated to
basement storey. Classical temple form, with high tower over
pedimented entrance.
EXTERIOR: high basement storey and 2 principal floors above,
the plan comprising central hall lit by clerestory, with
offices etc. forming an outer ring. Entrance front has high
podium, and wide flight of steps leading to central pedimented
portico of 5 bays with composite columns and high relief
allegorical sculpture by W Calder Marshall in the pediment.
Central entrance doors with round arched window over, within
portico. Outer ranges of 5 bays, 2 storeys with basement,
articulated by composite engaged shafts, and with round arched
windows to first floor.
Baroque tower set back behind pedimented centre on
vermiculated base with clock flanked by rusticated panels, and
composite pilasters to upper stage with round arched recessed
lights and balustrading above. Recessed upper stage with
pedimented cornice, terminating in stone dome with elaborate
stone fleche. Smaller pedimented towers (possibly concealing
ventilation ducts or chimneys) to either side.
4-bay returns articulated by composite pilasters, with round
arched upper windows then advanced 5-bay range similarly
detailed with entrance in centre. This advanced range was
originally central to symmetrical return elevations, but
extensions of 1938 (in identical style) formed 9-window range
each side, with central entrances in projecting porches.
Symmetrical rear elevation of 17 bays with central entrance in
porch. This rear range houses office accommodation and is a
later addition.
INTERIOR: front block (the original building) houses public
rooms, council chamber and committee rooms etc. on principal
storeys, the basement storey, office accommodation. Rear range
devoted to municipal offices. Central hall itself damaged by
fire in 1981, and now reconstructed with an inserted ceiling
bisecting the room to form 2 public halls. Original scheme,
the walls divided by plaster panelling with composite
pilasters, and coffered ceiling with vaulting over segmentally
headed clerestory windows has been reconstructed, as has the

ornate case of the organ.
Other rooms retain original detail, with heavy plaster work to
ceilings and cornices, pedimented doorcases and panelled
doors. Interior decoration all by WB Simpson, and the
corridors, intended to be fireproof, have tiles by Minton
Hollins.
(BOE: Pevsner N: South Lancashire: Harmondsworth: 1969-;
Cunningham C: Victorian and Edwardian Town Halls: London:
1981-; Bolton and District Civic Trust: Buildings of Bolton:
Bolton: 1983-; The Builder, 31 May and 7 June 1873).

Listing NGR: SD7157009154

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Bolton Town Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q4940234

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

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2