Westhoughton Town Hall

Westhoughton Town Hall is a municipal building on Market Street in Westhoughton, a town in Greater Manchester, England, within the Bolton area. It is the meeting place of Westhoughton Town Council and remains a working civic building at the centre of the town.

What is Westhoughton Town Hall?

It is the seat of local government for Westhoughton. The town council meets here, and the building stands on one of the main streets of the town centre. It is not a museum or a ticketed attraction, but it is a good example of Edwardian civic architecture from a former industrial town of north-west England, and worth a look if you are exploring the area.

Who built it, and when?

The design came from Bradshaw and Gass, an architectural practice based in Bolton. Tenders were invited in 1902, and Townson and Sons of Bolton won the contract with a bid of £4,922. Foundation stones were laid in April 1903, and the building opened on 7 December 1904. Some sources simply say it was built in 1903, so you will see different dates depending on whether the start of work or the opening is counted.

The facings are terracotta brought from Ruabon in Wales, giving the building the warm red look typical of public buildings of the period in northern England.

What stood here before?

The new hall replaced the earlier offices of the Local Board, which stood at the junction of Market Street and Wigan Road. Moving into a purpose-built town hall reflected the growing importance of Westhoughton at the turn of the twentieth century.

Later changes

A clock bell was removed in 1947 because vibration was damaging the structure. In 1992 an extension was added, designed by the same architectural firm as the original and matched closely to the older style, so the join is hard to spot.

Next door stands the library and Carnegie Hall, funded by Andrew Carnegie and opened on 24 March 1906. Together the buildings form a small group of civic architecture in the heart of the town.

A refurbishment is also planned. Bolton-based Good & Tillotson was chosen to prepare designs for a project of around £2.5 million, with the aim of keeping the council's home on Market Street.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Westhoughton Town Hall? On Market Street in Westhoughton, Greater Manchester, close to Bolton. The coordinates are roughly 53.5488 N, 2.5205 W.

Can I go inside? The building is the council's headquarters, so access depends on events and office hours. The easiest way to enjoy it is to view the facade from the street.

When did it open? On 7 December 1904, after the foundation stones were laid in April 1903.

Who designed it? Bradshaw and Gass of Bolton.

What else is nearby? The neighbouring library with Carnegie Hall, and the town centre of Westhoughton, which lies between Bolton and Wigan.