Town Hall

Town Hall in Hawick is the grandest civic building in this Scottish Borders town, a late Victorian landmark on the High Street that still shapes the look of the town centre. Built in the 1880s in the Scottish Baronial style, it is protected as a Category A listed building, the highest level of heritage protection in Scotland.

What is Hawick Town Hall?

It is the chief administrative building of Hawick, designed to house local government and to give the town a public hall. Like town halls everywhere, it was meant to express civic pride as much as to serve practical needs: a place where councillors met, where officials worked and where the community gathered. Today the building is used as local offices of Scottish Borders Council.

When and why was it built?

Construction took place between 1884 and 1886. The design came from the architect James Campbell Walker, who won the commission in a competition held in 1883. The cost was about £16,000, a considerable sum for a mill town of the period. The building rose on the site of an earlier toll booth, at the junction of High Street and Cross Wynd, so the spot had served as a focus of town life long before the Victorian hall appeared.

What does it look like?

The hall has three storeys and an irregular plan, and it follows the Scottish Baronial tradition. This style borrows from the castles and tower houses of Scotland, with strong vertical lines, turrets and a heavy, defensive character. Planners intended the building to hold a large public hall, with space for roughly 1,500 people, which tells you how important it was meant to be for meetings, concerts and civic events.

Historic Environment Scotland describes it as an outstanding late nineteenth century town hall. Note that the listing excludes some later additions, such as a mid twentieth century two-storey section on the High Street front and the flat-roofed parts at the rear. The listed core is the Victorian building itself.

Visiting and what to see nearby

The Town Hall stands at 34-42 High Street, so you can see it simply by walking through the centre of Hawick. It works well as one stop on a self-guided walk. Scottish Borders Council publishes a Hawick town trail that includes it, and the route is a good way to read the town's history through its streets and buildings. Because the building is used for council offices, check ahead before planning to go inside.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed Hawick Town Hall? James Campbell Walker, after winning a competition in 1883.

When was it built? Between 1884 and 1886.

What architectural style is it? Scottish Baronial.

Is it a listed building? Yes, Category A.

Can I go inside? It currently houses council offices, so access is not guaranteed. Enquire locally first.

Where is it? On High Street in Hawick, Scottish Borders, Scotland.