Old Town Hall, Banbridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Town Hall, Banbridge |
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Old Town Hall, Banbridge
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| Location | Scarva Street, Banbridge |
| Built | 1834 |
| Architect | Michael McGavigan |
| Architectural style(s) | Neoclassical style |
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Listed Building – Grade B1
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| Official name: Market Hall | |
| Designated | 25 October 1977 |
| Reference no. | HB 17/06/009 |
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The Old Town Hall in Banbridge, Northern Ireland, is a historic building. It's located on Scarva Street in Banbridge, County Down. Today, it helps the community. The ground floor has a Community Advice Centre. Upstairs, local groups can use a meeting room. This building is also a special 'Grade B1 listed building'. This means it's important and protected.
Contents
The Old Town Hall: A Look Back
Why a New Building?
The Old Town Hall was built to replace an older market hall. That old building was taken down. This made way for "The Cut," a special underpass. "The Cut" helped the main road between Newry and Belfast.
The Marquess of Downshire agreed to pay for the new building. Local leaders chose a spot for it. This spot was once home to an inn called the Bunch of Grapes.
Building Design and Features
The new Town Hall was designed by Michael McGavigan. He used the Neoclassical style. This style often looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. The building was made of rough stone. It cost about £2,000 to build. It was finished in 1834.
The ground floor had open arches. This was so markets could be held there. Upstairs, on the first floor, was a large assembly hall. The front of the building faced Bridge Street. It had three matching sections. The ground floor arches had fancy wrought-iron grills. The first floor had round-headed sash windows. The middle section stuck out a little. It had a stone parapet at the top. This parapet showed the Downshire coat of arms. It also showed the year the building was finished, 1834. A clock turret was placed on the roof.
Serving the Community
In 1899, Banbridge became an urban district. This meant it had its own local government. The Town Hall became the main office for this government. It was the meeting place for the Banbridge Urban District Council for many years.
In 1973, a bigger council was formed. It was called the Banbridge District Council. This new council moved to Avonmore House. After that, the Town Hall changed uses. It became offices for the local Electricity Board. Later, it became the local office for Citizens Advice.
Repairs and New Life
The building was damaged on two occasions. The first time was on March 15, 1982. The second time was on August 1, 1998. Both times, the building needed repairs.
In 2012, the building got a big makeover. The repairs cost £126,000. They put in a new heating system. They also replaced the roof. After the repairs, the building reopened. It became the local tourist information office. The first floor meeting room is still used by local community groups. One group that uses it is the Banbridge Historical Society.
