Wolverhampton's Architectural Heritage

Civic Buildings

• Wolverhampton Town Hall
• Central Library
• Bantock House
• Northicote Farm
• Bilston Town Hall
• Bilston School of Art

Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas have a number of fine civic buildings, many dating back to the time of Victoria or even earlier.

Wolverhampton Town Hall

Wolverhampton Town Hall 1979 (F1/WOL/A/E/23)

The Town Hall building (now home to the Magistrate Service) is situated in North Street directly opposite the Civic Centre. The building was officially opened on 19th October 1871 replacing an even older Town Hall built in 1687 that had been demolished.

Wolverhampton's first Town Hall (above) 1856 and its replacement
(below) (F1/WOL/E/1 and F1/WOL/A/E/2)

The building was built in the French Renaissance style with a sandstone façade and rusticated plinth.

Henry Hartley Fowler Mayor of Wolverhampton 1862

The initial idea for a new town hall had been put forward in 1865 by Henry Hartley Fowler, later Lord Wolverhampton and the father of the novelist Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler.

The decision to build the Town Hall was taken by Wolverhampton Council in 1869.

The building was designed by Manchester architect Mr Bates and built by Phillip Horsman of Wolverhampton.

As the seat of the Council the building contained a Council Chamber, used for the Authority's Council meetings, a number of large rooms for committee meetings, Members rooms and a Mayoral suite with reception room. At the rear of the Town Hall the main police station and fire station surrounded a large courtyard.

Red Lion Street Police and Fire Station 1930s - 1940s (G4/RED)

George Benjamin Thorneycroft 1st Mayor of Wolverhampton 1848

The Council Chamber included a carved Mayoral Chair, now in the Mayoral Parlour in the Civic Centre. It bears the inscription "This Chair was presented by the Rev JB Owen MA, Vicar of St Mary's Bilston to George Benjamin Thorneycroft Esq. First Mayor of Wolverhampton and by him presented to the Corporation for the perpetual use of their Chief Magistrate. AD MDCCCXLVIII [1848]."

The Town Hall's functions remained the same until 1978 when the Council headquarters were transferred to the new Civic Centre. The building then became used as the Law Courts prior to their move to Pipers Row in 1990.

Wolverhampton Crown Court 1991 (G5/CRO/E/1)

© Copyright. Wolverhampton City Council, 2002