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Description: Todmorden Town Hall

Address: Todmorden Town Hall Rochdale Road Todmorden West Yorkshire OL14 5AA

Grade: I

Group detail: Halifax Road (north side)

Full description:
Town Hall. Opened 3rd April, 1875 by the Postmaster General, Lord John Manners. By John Gibson for Samuel, John and Joshua Fielden. Sandstone ashlar, lead roof. Classical. In form an apsidal temple raised on a high basement. The basement has banded rustication and the upper walls are also slightly channelled. Plinth, stylobat and three quarters unfluted composite columns supporting elaborate entablature which has a fretted pulvinated frieze enriched by rosettes. The front is of 3 bays, and the return wall of 7. Terminated in each case by clasping pilasters. The apse is stepped in slightly and is similarly treated, except that the columns are detached and have cabled surface. The tall 1st floor has, at the front, round headed windows and richly carved surround, and at the sides similar straight headed windows, all surmounted by circular windows. Set within the tympanum of the deeply moulded triangular pediment impressive statuary. 2 central female figures linked in friendship are seated on a pedastal inscribed 'LANCASHIRE/YORKSHIRE'. To either side groups depicting the Lancashire cotton industry and the engineering and agriculture of Yorkshire. Interior: Semi-circular entrance hall with Tuscan columns and pilasters. Set between is marble bust of John Fielden M.P. (1784-1849) by Thomas Campbell, 1850. 2 other balancing sculptures, one of the Ruth another of Flight of Pompey. both by G. D. Benzoni, (Rome, 1878). These are set at the foot of Imperial staircase with elaborate cast-iron balustrade, the open-string risers covered by linking figures. At head of stair, painting of Thomas Fielden. Memorial tablet to Sir John Cockroft (1897-1967), Nobel Prize winner. Large 1st floor hall with modillion cornice. Coved fretted cornice with medallions. Ceiling divided into 3 panels with large circular sun motif with pendant bosses. 3 large medallions set to rear of stage. Under hall are court chambers with oak panelled horseshoe inner chamber and dais with canopied chair. The foundations of an earlier hall by Mr. Green were laid in the early 1860's. In 1866 the Fieldens purchased the partial constructed hall. Constrained by the site Gibson produced a building of concentrated richness and great assurance unusual in this style at that period. One of the finest town halls in West Yorkshire. Illustrated in D.Linstrum, West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture, (London, 1978), p.353. N. Pevsner, Yorkshire West Riding, (London, 1979), p.522.