This is part two of a series on Preston’s Town Halls. Read part one: Preston, a self governing city state and a tale of four Town Halls

After the collapse of the 1762 Town Hall, another was built on a low budget. This opened in 1782 and lasted until 1862 when a new grander building was constructed. Unfortunately, the Sir Gilbert Scott-designed complex burned down in 1947. This well-loved building was replaced by an ugly tower block in the mid-1960s.

The 1782 Town Hall rises

No expense was spent building a new Town Hall on the same site as the Medieval structure. The cost was £615 or £105,000 in current money. That would not cover the building of a detached house nowadays. It was finished in time for the 1782 Guild. The new Town Hall held a newsroom, council chamber, and courtroom. A cupola and clock tower were added in 1814. However, by 1861 the building was described as a “dingy worn out mansion” by the Builder magazine and was not befitting of a town in the full grip of the Industrial Revolution.

The Victorian Town Hall

After much dithering Preston council decided that a prominent architect would be needed to add impetus to the project of building a new Town Hall. Sir Gilbert Scott was employed and he submitted plans that were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1862. Sir Gilbert Scott had designed many notable buildings including the Midland Grand Hotel in London and the Albert Memorial. 

The layout of Preston’s proposed Town Hall was less formal than some and was somewhat constrained by its location between two side streets. The clock tower became a major landmark and was raised to a higher elevation during construction. Unfortunately, the clock tower was also to feature in the fire that destroyed the building in 1947. In May 1947 a mysterious fire gutted the building and the Westminster chimes, which could be heard for miles around, rang for one last time as they crashed to the ground.

Part of the Victorian Town Hall continued in use until 1962. After demolition a council chamber was created inside the municipal office building on Lancaster Road. This officially became the Town Hall in 1971.

The fourth Town Hall

The fourth Town Hall was originally built as municipal offices in 1934. The building has a neoclassical style and was designed by Sir Arnold Thornley. The architect was best known for buildings around Liverpool and Lancashire. He is also the designer of the Parliament Buildings in Belfast.

Read more: Dig into more Preston history with Geoffrey

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