Dewsbury Town Hall

Dewsbury Town Hall is a Victorian civic building standing in front of the old marketplace in the centre of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England. It is a listed building and one of the best-known landmarks of this Kirklees town.

Who designed and built it?

The design came from two local architects, Henry Holtom and George Arthur Fox. The contractor was Edward Chadwick and Sons of Staincliffe, a village close to Dewsbury. Historic England describes the style as "Mixed Renaissance", a blend of classical motifs typical of grand municipal buildings of the late nineteenth century.

When was it opened?

The foundation stone was laid on 12 October 1886 by Thomas Bateman Fox, then mayor of Dewsbury. The building was officially opened on Tuesday 17 September 1889, at half past eleven in the morning. Sources give the cost as roughly £40,000 to £50,000, a very large sum for a town of this size at the time, and a sign of how prosperous Dewsbury's textile industry had become.

What was inside?

The hall was planned as a complete seat of local government. It housed municipal offices and departments, the borough court and a police station, alongside spaces for public events. The main hall seats around 1,250 people, which made it a natural venue for concerts, meetings and civic gatherings.

Royal visits

King George V and Queen Mary visited the town hall in 1912 and again in 1918. The second visit expressed appreciation for the town's shoddy cloth, recycled woollen fabric that Dewsbury mills produced in great quantities for British army uniforms during the First World War.

Restoration

Kirklees Council invested more than £2.5 million in repairing the external fabric of the building, with works running until 2011. Thanks to this, the stonework and façade remain in good condition.

What to see today

• The facade facing the old marketplace, the best viewpoint for the whole building.
• The Victorian detail of the elevations, typical of the Mixed Renaissance style.
• The surroundings of the market square, the historic heart of Dewsbury.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Dewsbury Town Hall? In the centre of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, in front of the old marketplace.

When was it built? Work began with the foundation stone in 1886, and the building opened in September 1889.

Who designed it? Local architects Henry Holtom and George Arthur Fox.

How many people fit in the main hall? About 1,250.

Is it a protected building? Yes, it is a listed building recognised for its architectural and historic value.