Holborn Town Hall and Library

HOLBORN TOWN HALL AND LIBRARY, HIGH HOLBORN

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1378893
Date first listed:
15-Jan-1973
List Entry Name:
Holborn Town Hall and Library
Statutory Address:
HOLBORN TOWN HALL AND LIBRARY, HIGH HOLBORN
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Date:
2006-12-02
Reference:
IOE01/16298/05
Rights:
© Mr Jason Wen. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1378893
Date first listed:
15-Jan-1973
List Entry Name:
Holborn Town Hall and Library
Statutory Address 1:
HOLBORN TOWN HALL AND LIBRARY, HIGH HOLBORN

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
HOLBORN TOWN HALL AND LIBRARY, HIGH HOLBORN

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Greater London Authority
District:
Camden (London Borough)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ 30363 81452

Details

CAMDEN

TQ3081SW HIGH HOLBORN
798-1/105/840 (South side)
15/01/73 Holborn Town Hall and Library

GV II

Town hall and library, now municipal offices. Library
(formerly St Giles's Library), 1894 by W Rushworth (eastern
wing); town hall, 1906-8 by Hall and Warwick (centre and
western wing). Ancaster and Portland stone faced. Steeply
pitched slated roof with pedimented dormers and pilastered
Dutch gables terminating in segmental pediments to end bays.
STYLE: the library with early French Renaissance detail, the
town hall in similar style but Baroque details.
EXTERIOR: 4 storeys, basements and attics. Both buildings form
a symmetrical facade of 9 windows. End bays slightly
projecting. Eastern wing with entrance to former library of
elliptical arch flanked by Corinthian pilasters supporting an
entablature; enriched double doors. Former vehicle entrance to
left in similar style with wrought-iron gate by the Bromsgrove
Guild of Applied Art. Central 3-light oriel through 1st and
2nd floors. At 1st floor level a band of Renaissance
enrichment covering the oriel apron and having flanking oculi.
Upper floors pilastered, the 1st and 2nd floors with bands,
3rd floor with diapers. Western wing has round-arched entrance
to former town hall with moulded head and keystone flanked by
attached columns supporting an open segmental pediment with
carved coat of arms in tympanum with festoon and putti heads.
Central 3-light oriel through 1st and 2nd floors. A band of
similar enrichment at 1st floor level covering the oriel
apron. 3rd floor windows round-arched with moulded heads and
keystones. Central bays have round-arched windows at ground
floor level; 1st and 2nd floor, square-headed separated by
pilasters, the 1st floor with a wrought-iron balcony by the
Bromsgrove Guild; 3rd floor, 3 oculi linked by festoons. Most
windows transom and mullion.
INTERIOR: former town hall has large circular hall running up
through each floor and adjoining the main stair and lift. At
ground floor level main hall with floor of marble in a compass
design and arcade of Doric half columns supporting an
entablature under a shallow dome; oak double doors, with oculi
and brass plates incorporating a coat of arms, in Baroque
frames; 3 stained glass First and Second World War memorial
windows; original brass pendant light. Open well main stair of
artificial stone and granolithic paving with marble dado.
Original wrought-iron lift enclosure, in well of stair, by the


Bromsgrove Guild. Corridors mostly vaulted with granolithic
paving and oak doors. Interiors of note are: the rear 1st
floor Council Chamber of square plan surmounted by a central
dome with small cupola light. Walls panelled in Austrian oak
with Ionic pilasters and columns supporting an enriched
cornice. Windows of small, patterned, leaded panes. Original
brass pendant light. Beneath, on the ground floor, the former
Court Room, panelled and enriched in Baroque style.

Listing NGR: TQ3036381452

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
478254
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Holborn Town Hall and Library

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 08-Jun-2026 at 21:37:36.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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