Accrington Town Hall
{{Short description|Municipal building in Lancashire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Accrington Town Hall
| image = Town Hall. - geograph.org.uk - 525051.jpg
| caption = Accrington Town Hall
| locmapin = Lancashire#United Kingdom Borough of Hyndburn
| map_caption = Shown in Lancashire##Location in Borough of Hyndburn
| coordinates = {{coord|53.7532|N|2.3653|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location = Blackburn Road, Accrington
| built = 1858
| architect = James F. Green and T. Birtwhistle
| architecture = Neoclassical style
| governing_body =
| designation1 = Grade II* Listed Building
| designation1_offname = Town Hall
| designation1_date = 9 March 1984
| designation1_number = 1362011
| website=
}}
Accrington Town Hall is a municipal building on Blackburn Road in Accrington, Lancashire, England. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Accrington Borough Council, is a Grade II* listed building.{{NHLE|desc=Town Hall|num=1362011|access-date=2 January 2021}}
History
The building was originally commissioned as an assembly hall to commemorate the life of the former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel.{{cite web|url=https://mylearning.org/stories/amazing-accrington/1160|title=The Peel Family|publisher=My Learning|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205022039/https://mylearning.org/stories/amazing-accrington/1160|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/leisure/days_out/town_guides/hyndburn/724065.tourist-guide-accrington/|title=Tourist guide to Accrington|date=29 March 2010|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=4 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504121532/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/leisure/days_out/town_guides/hyndburn/724065.tourist-guide-accrington/|url-status=live}} The cost of construction was funded by a campaign of public subscription led by a local businessman, Benjamin Hargreaves of Arden Hall.{{cite news|url=https://www.lancs.live/news/local-news/history-of-towns-most-famous-road-1272596|title=History of town's most famous road|date=29 April 2011|newspaper=Lancs Live|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=28 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028143932/https://www.lancs.live/news/local-news/history-of-towns-most-famous-road-1272596|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://lancashirepast.com/2019/06/21/arden-hall-ruins-accrington/|title=Arden Hall ruins, Accrington|date=21 June 2019 |publisher=Lancashire Past|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=27 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127143355/https://lancashirepast.com/2019/06/21/arden-hall-ruins-accrington/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://urbed.coop/sites/default/files/Accrington%20Final%20Report%20Chapter%202part1.pdf|title=Discovering Accrington|page=33|publisher=Urbed|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=12 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812220535/http://urbed.coop/sites/default/files/Accrington%20Final%20Report%20Chapter%202part1.pdf|url-status=live}}
The new building was designed by James F. Green and T. Birtwhistle in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone and opened as the "Peel Institute" in 1858.{{cite web|url=http://www.artandarchitecture.org.uk/images/conway/357acdf5.html|title=Façade: Accrington Town Hall|publisher=Art and Architecture|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=14 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314063352/http://www.artandarchitecture.org.uk/images/conway/357acdf5.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/burnleygraphics/docs/s_c_mechanics_conservation_statemen/51|title=Burnley Mechanics Conservation Statement|page=50|date=1 July 2017|publisher=Purcell|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=24 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524093103/https://issuu.com/burnleygraphics/docs/s_c_mechanics_conservation_statemen/51|url-status=live}} The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with seven bays facing onto Blackburn Road; the central section, which projected forward, featured a porte-cochère supporting a balustrade and a hexastyle portico with Corinthian order columns on the first floor with a pediment above. Internally, the principal room was the assembly hall on the first floor. The assembly hall also accommodated meetings of the local mechanics institute.{{cite web|url=http://urbed.coop/sites/default/files/Accrington%20Final%20Report%20Chapter%202part1.pdf|title=Discovering Accrington|page=29|publisher=Urbed|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=12 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812220535/http://urbed.coop/sites/default/files/Accrington%20Final%20Report%20Chapter%202part1.pdf|url-status=live}}
The building was acquired by the local board of health in 1864{{cite web|title='Townships: Old and New Accrington', in A History of the County of Lancaster|volume=6|first1=William|last1=Farrer|first2=J.|last2=Brownbill|location=London|year=1911|pages=423–427|publisher=British History Online|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol6/pp423-427|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=18 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518141226/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol6/pp423-427|url-status=live}} and the area became a municipal borough with the town hall as its headquarters in 1878. The Accrington Pals Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment was formally raised by the mayor, Councillor John Harwood, inside the town hall in September 1914; the battalion subsequently marched past the building before preparing to deploy, initially to Egypt and then to the Western Front, during the First World War.{{cite web |url=https://www.eastlancsconcertband.org/history-of-the-band/ |title=From the Beginning to the Present Day |publisher=East Lancashire Concert Band |access-date=2 January 2021 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123020110/https://www.eastlancsconcertband.org/history-of-the-band/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/42439|title=Plaque to commemorate the 11th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment|publisher=Imperial War Museum|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=24 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524093053/https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/42439|url-status=live}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5GjgAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT39 |title=Accrington Pals: The 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington) East Lancashire Regiment A History of the Battalion Raised from Accrington, Blackburn, Burnley and Chorley in World War One |first=William Bennett |last=Turner |year=2008 |publisher=Pen and Sword Books |isbn=978-1473811621 |access-date=16 February 2024 |archive-date=16 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216142838/https://books.google.com/books?id=5GjgAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT39 |url-status=live}}
The town hall continued to serve as the headquarters of the borough council for much of the 20th century and remained a meeting place for the enlarged Hyndburn Borough Council which was formed in 1974.{{cite book|title=Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70|publisher=The Stationery Office Ltd|isbn=0-10-547072-4|year=1997}} Many of the council officers and their departments were based at Eagle House before moving to Scaitcliffe House, the former canteen for textile machinery manufacturers, Howard & Bullough, in June 2002.{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5979787.council-seeks-title-new-hq/|title=Council seeks title for new HQ|date=15 March 2002|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=11 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011064620/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5979787.council-seeks-title-new-hq/|url-status=live}} Whilst Scaitcliffe House is used for Hyndburn's committee meetings, full council meetings are still held at the town hall.{{cite web |title=Council agenda, 30 June 2022 |url=https://democracy.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=130&MId=2707&Ver=4 |website=Hyndburn Borough Council | date=30 June 2022 |access-date=25 August 2022 |archive-date=11 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011070123/https://democracy.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=130&MId=2707&Ver=4 |url-status=live}}
A new town square was created in front of the town hall and market hall, to commemorate the lives of the Accrington Pals, in 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.nmsltd.co.uk/nms-awarded-prestigious-accrington-town-square-redevelopment-contract/|title=NMS awarded prestigious £2m Accrington Town Square Redevelopment contract|date=2 August 2017|newspaper=Accrington Observer|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=24 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524093059/https://www.nmsltd.co.uk/nms-awarded-prestigious-accrington-town-square-redevelopment-contract/|url-status=live}} The scheme involved the removal of a series of trees, which had been planted outside the town hall and market hall in 1962,{{cite news| url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14985304.controversial-plans-remove-trees-outside-accrington-town-hall-met-concern/| title=Controversial plans to remove trees outside Accrington town hall met with concern| date=23 December 2016| newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph| access-date=2 January 2021| archive-date=24 May 2024| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524092957/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14985304.controversial-plans-remove-trees-outside-accrington-town-hall-met-concern/| url-status=live}} and the installation of new paving, seating and signage recording the history of the Accrington Pals, Accrington Stanley F.C. and the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the town.{{cite web|url=https://hardscape.co.uk/accrington-town-centre-artscape-benches/|title=Artscape takes Accrington's Rich History off the Bench and under the Spotlight|date=7 October 2018 |publisher=Hardscape|access-date=2 January 2021|archive-date=22 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122103215/https://hardscape.co.uk/accrington-town-centre-artscape-benches/|url-status=live}}