Skipton Town Hall

Skipton Town Hall is the town hall of Skipton, North Yorkshire. It is located on the town's High Street and is home to Craven Museum & Gallery as well as a Concert Hall with events and performance programme and Skipton Tourist Information Centre. Skipton Town Council also reside in the beautiful Victorian building, which is Grade II listed.[1][2][3][4]

Skipton Town Hall
Skipton Town Hall in 2012
LocationHigh Street, Skipton
Coordinates53°57′44″N 2°00′57″W
Built1862
Architectural style(s)Classical style
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated2 March 1978
Reference no.1301634
Shown in North Yorkshire

History
A flea market held inside the hall in 2007.

The Town Hall, 19 High Street, was designed in the Classical style and built in 1862 on the site of the former vicarage of the Holy Trinity Parish Church by the Skipton Public Buildings Company. The design included a two-storeyed portico with two Corinthian order columns and two pilasters on the ground floor and four Corinthian order columns on the first floor.[1] The balcony at the front of the building was used to make public announcements.[5] Later the hall and the building next to it, 17 High Street, a commercial building were integrated together.[5] In 1878, Alterations were made to increase the height of the main hall and was used by a private company as a public functions room.[2]

In 1895, upon the creation of Skipton Urban District Council, the building was purchased to replace the former town hall situated on Sheep Street.[2][6] During the 19th century a glass canopy was built onto the front of the Town Hall and lasted until the 1950s, and in 1935 the hall was made larger to accommodate more office space.[2][5] In 1974 when the Craven District Council was formed and moved the museum from its previous location at the library to the first floor of the town hall annexe, and a professional museum team were hired to run the museum.[5] Also located in the town hall is the council chamber where for over 100 years the urban district council and now the craven district council have held meetings.[5] A point of interest in the chamber are the benches and chairs which were made by the legendary furniture maker Robert Thompson also known as the "mouseman".[5][7][8]

In spring 2019 work started on a redevelopment project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and costing £4.5 million, to restore and upgrade the concert hall, to redesign the museum and to provide new gallery space.[9][10][11]

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References
  1. Historic England. "15-19 High Street, Skipton (1301634)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  2. "Skipton Town Hall". Craven District Council. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  3. Tate, Lesley. "£180,000 repairs to Skipton Town Hall roof approved Water damage to the ornate ceiling of the council chamber Water damage on the floor of the council chamber". Craven Herald & Pioneer. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  4. "Anger over plans for cafés and bars in historic listed Skipton town hall". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  5. "Anniversary celebration for historic Skipton Town Hall". Craven Herald & Pioneer. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  6. Rawson, Barry (1 July 2014). "Th Old Town Hall". Skipton Civic Society. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  7. "Skipton Town Hall council chamber open to the public". Craven District Council. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  8. "Skipton Town Hall and the mouseman of Kilburn" (PDF). Dales Heritage (3): 6. April 2005. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  9. "Next stage of Skipton Town Hall rebuild about to start". Stray FM. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  10. "Skipton Town Hall set to re-open in winter 2020". Craven District Council. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  11. "Completing Skipton Town Hall redevelopment 'even more important' for post Covid-19 recovery". Craven Herald and Pioneer. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
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