Town Hall and Market Buildings, Crown Lane,Denbigh
The building is the result of an open competition held in 1910 when C E Elcock’s design was placed first but not progressed due to opposition by ratepayers. The revised design - as a combined town hall and market - replaced Thomas Fulljames' Market Hall of 1848, and was one of only a handful of civic buildings constructed entirely during the First World War. The Listing Notice describes its style as being “eclectic Arts and Crafts style which synthesises a medievalising baronial theme with Germanic Art Nouveau elements.” Its construction showed a relatively early use of reinforced concrete to the designs of Mr Dyson, structural engineer, of London.
From the 1920s to the mid-1940s, Deeside Enterprises Ltd. a cinema was operated a cinema in the Town Hall. In the 1950s the building lost its dome and subsequently underwent some remodelling internally. It remains an arts venue.
Denbigh New Market Hall. TENDER "PROVISIONALLY" ACCEPTED. The Council in Committee, on Monday night, opened, in the presence oi Mr Brookes and Mr Elcock, architects, who had attended to give them expert advice upon any points arising, eight tenders received six of which, it may be stated, were within the sum named in the architects' estimate. After full consideration the Council selected the lowest tender provisionally. As all that was done is subject to the confirmation of next week's Council we are unable to give the details until next week, when they will be made known in open Council.[Denbighshire Free Press 18 July 1914 page 5]
NEW TOWN HALL FOR DENBIGH. The Denbigh Town Council have accepted the tender of Messrs. Moreton, Browne, Ltd., Chester, at £8955, for the erection of a new Town Hall and Market-buildings, including the clearing away of the existing buildings. The Local Government Board have sanctioned the loan of E12,500 for the purposes of the scheme. The architects are Messrs. Brooke, Elcock, and Co., Manchester. The work will be proceeded with immediately. [Flint Observer 30 July 1914 page 7]
DENBIGH NEW MARKETS - The ceremony of laying the memorial stone of the new Markets and Town Hall will take place on Thursday next at 2.30 in the afternoon. The stone will be laid by the mayor (Councillor T Lloyd Jones) who will be accompanied by the members of the Council and officials, and for use on the occasion His Worship will be presented with a silver trowel by Messrs Brooke and Elcock, the architects. [Denbighshire Free Press 20 March 1915 page 3]
DENBIGH NEW TOWN HALL ILLUSTRATED - As we stated a short time ago a painting of Denbigh New Town Hall by the architect (Mr Elcock, of the firm of Messrs Brooke and Elcock) appears in the Royal Academy Exhibition. Last week The Building News contained not only the article given below descriptive of the building, but a large double page inset, beautifully done, illustrating the frontage of the New Town Hall and Market Buildings for the borough, and also sketch plans of the Public Hall showing the body of the hall and also a plan of the gallery. The following is The Building News article:
NEW TOWN-HALL AND MARKET BUILDINGS, DENBIGH. The design shown in our illustration, the view being reproduced from the original now in the Royal Academy Exhibition is being carried out. The building is the result of an open competition held in 1910 when Mr Elcock’s design was placed first. Originally the scheme included a magistrates' court, corporation offices, and a council-chamber, with a small assembly- hall. Plans were prepared on these lines, but were eventually rescinded by the council, owing to the opposition of the ratepayers, and the design shown was approved and is now in hand. The buildings are being carried out in a local limestone with red sandstone dressings, and as attempt has been made to erect a building such as will continue the traditions of the town, which include a very fine castle and other features reminiscent of the stirring episodes in the history of Denbigh. The plan is of a very simple character, and includes on the ground-floor a large market- hall, with space for a small fire-engine station, council officials' offices, and the necessary staircases. Oa the first floor a hall has been arranged to accommodate 1,500 people, and in the construction of this portion of the building reinforced concrete has been largely used, with the result that a very considerable saving has been affected in the price of the building. A spring floor is to be fixed in the hall, so that it may be used for dancing, and a platform has been provided so as to accommodate the large choirs which are a feature of Welsh social life, A large gallery, is carried on cantilevers, and supporting columns are done away with as far as feasible. Altogether, the building seems to be of a particularly satisfactory character, and we are glad to note a departure from the usual municipal design, and the evident endeavour of the architects to continue the local traditions, and to get away from the usual competition design. The cost of the building goes to show that the planning has been a most economical, as the whole outlay is not to exceed the sum of £9 000. The building contractors are Messrs Morton, Browne, Ltd., of Chester, and Mr Appleton is the clerk of works. The architects are Messrs Brooke and Elcock. Royal Exchange, 18, Exchange Street, Manchester. The spring floor is being Installed by Messrs Francis Morten, jnr., and Company, of 110, Cannon Street, London, E.C. It is their patent “Valtor” system of steel springs and girders. The total area occupied by the dancing floor is 52 ft long by 37 ft wide, and the floor is carried upon eight rows of T-section girders, each row being divided into 15 lengths coupled on to their patent spring fitments Si Each spring fitment rests upon a small hardwood block let into reinforced concrete floor below In this case, there being no locking gear, the springs are made of medium resilience so that when the floor is used for purposes other than dancing there will not be an uncomfortable amount of vibration." [Denbighshire Free Press 5 June 1915 page 6]
TOWN HALL OPENING - The Mayor of Denbigh, Councillor Robert Owen, J.P., formally opened the new Town Hall of Denbigh on Friday evening last, and thus declared open for the use of the public a very fine, well-built and commodious structure, which is an honour to the town itself and a credit to the Council who arranged and carried through the scheme, and also in a very marked degree reflects great credit upon the architect, Mr Elcock, of Colwyn Bay and Manchester the concrete engineer, Mr Dyson, of London aid the builders, Messrs Morton, Brown, Ltd., of Chester, who have done their work in the very best possible manner and deserve every praise whilst to the painstaking, keen and able clerk of the works, Mr Appleton, a full share of credit is due for the excellence of the work in every way. [Denbighshire Free Press 29 September 1917 page 3]
Reference Denbighshire Free Press 18 July 1914 page 5
Reference Flint Observer 30 July 1914 page 7]
Reference Denbighshire Free Press 20 March 1915 page 3 – foundation stone
Reference Denbighshire Free Press 5 June 1915 page 6 – description
Reference Denbighshire Free Press 29 September 1917 page 3 - opening
Reference Building News 21 May 1915 page 581 and illustration