Alston Town Hall

Alston Town Hall is a neo-gothic municipal building on Front Street in Alston, Cumbria, England. Today it works as the town's public library and a community hub, and it is a Grade II listed building. For visitors to Alston Moor it is a practical first stop: you can borrow a book, ask for local tourist information or simply admire a Victorian civic building that was paid for by the people of the town.

What is Alston Town Hall?

The building is a town hall in the traditional sense, a municipal structure built to serve the community. Its address is Front Street, Alston, postcode CA9 3RF. The area belongs to the Westmorland and Furness authority in Cumbria. Although it keeps the name "Town Hall", its everyday role today is that of a public library with several other local services under one roof.

Who built it and when?

Construction of the neo-gothic building began in 1857, when the local industrial chemist Hugh Lee Pattinson laid the foundation stone. The design was the work of A. B. Higham of Newcastle. The estimated cost was around £2,000, but the final bill came closer to £3,000. The money was raised by public subscription rather than coming from a single wealthy patron, which makes the hall a genuine community project. Sources differ slightly on the completion date: some give 1857, others 1858, so it is safest to say the hall dates from the late 1850s.

What is inside today?

The hall operates under the "LocalLinks" banner. It houses:

• the public library,
• a tourist information point,
• Alston Moor Parish Council,
• the archives of the Alston Moor Historical Society.

This mix makes it useful both for residents and for anyone wanting to learn about the history of the area. If you are curious about Alston Moor's past, the historical society's archives are held here.

A short history of the library

The library has a long association with the building. Until the late 1980s the Town Hall contained both the public library and a branch of the Trustee Savings Bank. After the bank closed, the library moved to premises in the Market Place. It returned to the Town Hall in September 2008, and it remains there today.

Is it protected?

Yes. The building is listed at Grade II. The listing entry describes it as "Town Hall, Library and Trustee Savings Bank" and was designated on 14 May 1984 (Historic England reference 1106388). The name of the entry reflects the building's earlier uses, including the bank branch.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Alston Town Hall? On Front Street in Alston, Cumbria, England (CA9 3RF).

Is Alston Town Hall a library? Yes. It is currently used as the public library, and the library moved back into the building in September 2008.

Can I get tourist information there? Yes, a tourist information service is among the services housed in the building under the LocalLinks banner.

Who designed it? The architect was A. B. Higham of Newcastle, and the foundation stone was laid by Hugh Lee Pattinson in 1857.

Is the building listed? Yes, it has been Grade II listed since 14 May 1984.