Old Town Hall
Old Town Hall, Market Place
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1299877
- Date first listed:
- 29-Jul-1950
- List Entry Name:
- Old Town Hall
- Statutory Address:
- Old Town Hall, Market Place
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2003-02-14
- Reference:
- IOE01/10162/30
- Rights:
- © Mr Peter Briggs. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1299877
- Date first listed:
- 29-Jul-1950
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 15-Nov-1988
- List Entry Name:
- Old Town Hall
- Statutory Address 1:
- Old Town Hall, Market Place
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Old Town Hall, Market Place
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Wakefield (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SE 45672 21954
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 6 September 2021 to reformat text to current standards
SE 4521 NE
8/30
PONTEFRACT
MARKET PLACE (north-east side)
Old Town Hall
(Formerly listed under Bridge Street)
29.7.50
GV
II*
Market building with gaol at back and assembly room above. 1785. By Bernard Hartley I of Pontefract, Surveyor of Bridges to the West Riding of Yorkshire. Ashlar sandstone, Welsh slate roof. Three storeys, three x two bays with lower two-storey gaol range to rear right. Market Place elevation: three bays; ground floor has chamfered rustication with three segmental arches having plinths, impost band and dropped keystones; the left bay open, the centre bay with C20 glass shop front, the right bay with recessed infilling. Band forming base to giant order of fluted Tuscan pilasters, one at ends, paired to centre bay, which advances slightly and is pedimented. First-floor windows are sashes with glazing bars and sill band, with wrought-iron balcony in centre, and turned-baluster aprons to outer bays. Second-floor windows are half-size six-pane casements with projecting sills. Modillion cornice. Flag pole in front of pediment. Hipped roof. Central wooden clock tower with cupola with lead-covered dome and weather-vane.
Rear: one bay visible, matching front. Left return finely rendered, and scored as if ashlar; two bays; both ground-floor arches open; above, single pilasters, no openings. Rear wing, elevation to Bridge Street: ground floor door below deep over-light and window; two blind first-floor windows; all with voussoired wedge lintels. Interior: first floor assembly room has white marble fireplace with sleeping lion as centrepiece of fluted frieze and later cast iron grate; at left end, magistrates' bench with coat of arms on plaque above between consoles with dentilled cornice above, and C19 panelled front; segmental gallery above bench has wrought iron railings; ceiling cornice. At right end; full size plaster cast of John Edward Carew's bronze relief of 'the Death of Nelson' from. the column in Trafalgar Square, London, set behind cast-iron railings with spear finials and lotus standards.
Derek Linstrum, West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture, (1978), pp. 329-331.
Listing NGR: SE4567221954
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 342669
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Linstrum, D, West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture, (1978), 329-331
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jun-2026 at 14:47:46.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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