Leicester Town Hall

Leicester Town Hall
General information
Architectural style Queen Anne Style
Town or city Leicester
Country England
Construction started 1874
Completed 1876
Design and construction
Architect Francis Hames

Leicester Town Hall stands in the city centre of Leicester, England, in a square which contains a fountain. The building is the town hall of the city of Leicester and also contains Leicester Bike Park.

The town hall was built on the former cattle market between 1874 and 1876 in the Queen Anne Style by Francis Hames and is a Grade II* listed building.[1] Before it was built, the Guildhall acted as the town hall.[2]

Leicester Town Hall covers an area of nearly 7,000 m2 and claims (Leicester City Council) to be the most energy-efficient in the UK following a £80,000 investment in 1994. The installation of a number of energy-saving measures has reduced heating costs by more than £13,000 in less than ten years.[3]

On the first Wednesday of each month, a free tour is given by a Blue Badge tourist guide, which starts at 2 pm and lasts up to 2 hours and concludes with tea and biscuits in the Lord Mayor's Tea Room. Contrary to the notice board outside, visitors do not need tickets for the tour. Some history is given of the building, including details of previous Lord Mayors etc. and one can visit the former courtroom and the current main council chamber.

Town Hall Square fountain

Leicester Town Council accepted on 29 October 1878, "a handsome ornamental fountain to be placed in the centre of the land fronting the Town Hall Buildings" which was a gift to the Borough from Sir Israel Hart, a former Mayor of Leicester.[4] It is constructed of bronze-painted cast iron, Shap granite and Ross of Mull granite.[5] Francis Hames, the architect of the town hall, also designed the layout of Town Hall Square and the fountain,[6] which was unveiled by Sir Israel Hart on 24 September 1879. Is it said to be based on a similar fountain Hames saw in at Porto in Portugal.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Historic England. "Town Hall  (Grade II*) (1074780)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Town Hall (Leicester)". Colin Crosby Heritage Tours. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  3. ↑ "Town Hall>Energy Efficiency Measures" (PDF). Leicester City Council. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  4. ↑ "Town Hall Square Fountain". Leicester City Council. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  5. ↑ Cavanagh, Terry; Yarrington, Allison (1 September 2000). Public Sculpture of Leicestershire and Rutland. Liverpool University Press. ISBN 0853236550.
  6. ↑ Historic England. "Fountain  (Grade II) (1074781)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Town Hall Square Conservation Area: Character Statement" (PDF). Leicester City Council. April 2005. p. 8. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

Further reading

External links

Coordinates: 52°38′0″N 1°7′57″W / 52.63333°N 1.13250°W / 52.63333; -1.13250 (Leicester Town Hall)

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