Old Town Hall, Church Street, Clitheroe

Clitheroe Town Hall was designed in 1820 in Gothic Revival style, and replaced the Moot Hall of circa 1610 which had fallen into decay. It was also the site of the borough courts, with cells underneath. These cells, believed to have been remodelled from the original early 17th Century dungeons under the Moot Hall, are now used for storage. During a major refurbishment in 1990, Clitheroe Library (qv) was extended into the building.

The new building was of two storeys, built of ashlar red sandstone and was completed in 1820. The principal elevation to Church Street was of four bays asymmetrically designed. On the ground floor, the left-hand bay contained an arched doorway flanked by colonettes bay and lancet windows in the other three bays. At first floor level a central three-light window lit the council chamber with lancet windows in the outer bays. Between the storeys there were five armorial shields, showing the arms of the Lacies, the Curzons, and the Brownlows One gable terminated with an octagonal bellcote and weathervane, standing 62 feet high. An octagonal chimney was placed at the apex of the opposite gable.

Reference           Edward Baines Lancashire 1825 page 210