Ilkeston Town Hall

Ilkeston Town Hall is a Victorian municipal building standing in the Market Place in the centre of Ilkeston, Derbyshire. Completed in the late 1860s, it is a Grade II listed building and still serves local government today as one of two meeting places of Erewash Borough Council.

Who designed Ilkeston Town Hall and when was it built?

The building was designed in the Italianate style by Richard Charles Sutton, an architect from Nottingham. The construction work was carried out by William Warner of Ilkeston. The listing record dates the work to 1867–8, and the town hall was officially opened on 6 February 1868. It was commissioned by the Local Board of Health, the body then responsible for running the growing town.

Why was a town hall built in Ilkeston?

Before the new building, civic meetings had no proper home. They were held in a room above the Butter Market and later in a house on East Street. Both arrangements were judged inadequate for a developing industrial town. The chosen site in the Market Place had been occupied by a row of thatched cottages, which were cleared to make way for the new hall.

What does the building look like?

The town hall is built of red brick with sandstone dressings, enlivened by yellow and blue brick details, and covered by a Welsh slate roof. It has two storeys and a five-bay east front, in which the central three bays project forward. At ground level, a recessed central porch is framed by a round arch. The mix of coloured brick and stone is typical of Victorian civic architecture in the Midlands and gives the facade a distinctive, patterned look.

What is inside?

The principal upper room is the historic heart of the building. In 2012 Erewash Borough Council restored its original ceiling, bringing back a feature of the 1860s interior. The room has long been used for council and civic occasions.

Is it protected?

Yes. Historic England's listing entry (list entry 1280610) records the town hall as Grade II, first listed on 6 November 1986. Grade II is the most common category of listing and covers buildings of special interest. A few websites give a higher grade, but the official Historic England record states Grade II.

Visiting Ilkeston Town Hall

The building is in the Market Place, the traditional centre of Ilkeston, so it is easy to combine with a walk around the town centre and its shops. It is best appreciated from the outside, where the east front and the brickwork can be seen in full. As a working council building, interior access depends on meetings and events, so check with Erewash Borough Council before planning to go inside.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Ilkeston Town Hall? In the Market Place, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England.

Who designed it? Richard Charles Sutton of Nottingham, in the Italianate style.

When did it open? It was officially opened on 6 February 1868.

Is it still used by the council? Yes. It is one of two meeting places of Erewash Borough Council.

Is it a listed building? Yes, it is Grade II listed.