The current Swindon Town Hall, in Swindon, England, was built in the mid 19th century
to be a centrepiece of New Swindon.
Powers were transferred to it from the Old Town Hall in 1891.
The whole building is currently used by Swindon Dance, a National Dance Agency.
Parts of the lower floor, previously occupied by Swindon Reference Library, remain vacant.
Until the erection of the Corn Exchange and Town Hall in Old Swindon, the Goddard Arms
was used.
This small pub was up until 1820 a small cottage alehouse named the Crown and had been owned
by the Goddards since 1621.
It has been beneficial to the entire surrounding areas because of its vast community suppliers
and representatives.
In 1750 a large assembly room was built adjoining the pub and it was thereafter used for balls,
concerts, the Court Leet, the Magistrates' Court, County Court, auction house and even
as a booking office for the Great Western Railway before the eventual construction of
Swindon railway station.
When the Lord of the Manor wanted to call people together to discuss matters of importance,
he did so at the Goddard Arms.
It was used in this fashion in the early 19th century by Ambrose Goddard to call meetings
on the progress of the Wilts and Berks Canal.
In 1848, it was decided to build a Market Hall in Old Swindon.
This plan was not carried out until 1852 when the Swindon Market Company was formed to oversee
construction.
The new market house was designed to also provide accommodation for the County Court,
Petty sessions and other public business.
Designed by a local architect named Sampson Sage and built by George Major of Horsefair,
the final building was in effect a sack office and store room with offices above.
A Wine Store was built adjoining this its upper hall was leased to the County Court
and used by the Swindon Bench of Magistrates from 1871-1891.
The public room could accommodate 600 people and was eventually used for public meetings,
balls, lectures and readings.
It also became Swindon's de facto polling station and election house.
In 1865, Ambrose Goddard provided more land next to this building for the erection of
a Corn Exchange abutting the Town Hall.
Opened on April 9, 1866, the building included an 80 ft tower and a triangular market hall
covered by a glass dome.
The opening ceremony began at the Goddard Arms and proceeding behind a brass band, from
New Swindon, walked to the exchange for an official dinner and ball.
The large hall in the Corn Exchange was turned into a theatre by 1880 with seating for 1,000
people.
Prior to World War I the hall was converted into an ice rink before being turned into
a cinema in 1919, named the Rink Cinema.
It was refurbished in 1949 and became a dance hall called the Locarno Dance Hall, later
hosting wrestling events and jazz and pop concerts, amongst others the Kinks, the Applejacks,
the Animals, Yardbirds, Ronnie Scott's orchestra, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.
It was a Bingo Hall for some time but is now derelict and decaying, and has suffered 2
fires since the turn of the millennium.
A number of redevelopment plans have been put forward over time, see Forward Swindon
for the latest proposals.
With the construction of the New Swindon Town Hall in 1890, all civic functions passed down
the hill in 1891.
By 1890, the New Swindon Local Board had plans to build their new public offices in York
Place.
This location, halfway between the Railway Village and the Hill, was thought by some
to be "both psychologically and strategically an excellent position for the new town to
establish a landmark building".
Especially as it was clearly visible from the Old town.
Brightwen Binyon of Ipswich was chosen to design the new building, eventually deciding
on the edifice as it stands today.
It includes a 90 ft high clock tower and is built in the style of neo-17th-century Dutch
architecture.
It became a show-piece of New Swindon, being constructed mainly of brick with stone dressings,
a balcony, gables, finials and cupolas.
The inside includes a spacious hall with pillars and arches and an elegant sweeping staircase
rising to a suite of offices.