Grangemouth Municipal Buildings
{{short description|Judicial building in Grangemouth, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Grangemouth Municipal Buildings
| native_name =
| image = Municipal Buildings - geograph.org.uk - 542572.jpg
| caption =The building in 2007
| locmapin =Scotland Falkirk
| map_caption =Shown in Falkirk council area
| coordinates ={{Coord| 56.0190|N| 3.7213|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location =Bo'ness Road, Grangemouth
| area =
| built =1937
| architect =Robert Wilson and David Tait
| architecture = Italianate style
| height=
| governing_body =
| website=
}}
Grangemouth Municipal Buildings, also known as Grangemouth Municipal Chambers, is a municipal structure in Bo'ness Road, Grangemouth, Scotland. The structure was the headquarters of Grangemouth Burgh Council.
History
After the Grangemouth area was advanced to the status of small burgh in 1930,{{cite web|url= https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10359831 |title=Grangemouth Burgh|publisher=Vision of Britain| access-date=21 September 2024}} civic leaders, who had previously met in Grangemouth Town Hall, decided to commission dedicated municipal buildings for the council, while allowing the town hall to operate as an events venue. The site they selected was open land on the opposite side of the road to the town hall.{{cite web |url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.5&lat=56.0190&lon=-3.7213&layers=6&b=1&o=100&marker=56.0190,-3.7213|title=Ordnance Survey Six-inch 1st edition, 1843–1882 |access-date=19 September 2024}}
The new building was designed by Robert Wilson and David Tait in the Italianate style, built in ashlar stone and was officially opened on 30 October 1937.{{cite web|url=https://collections.falkirk.gov.uk/objects/107258/grangemouth-municipal-buildings-wilson-tait-architects-grangemouth-1937 |title=Grangemouth Municipal Buildings. Wilson & Tait, Architects, Grangemouth|year= 1937|publisher=Falkirk Community Trust| access-date=19 September 2024}}{{cite web|url= https://collections.falkirk.gov.uk/objects/68176/official-opening-of-the-municipal-buildings-grangemouth |title= Official opening of the Municipal Buildings, Grangemouth|year= 1937|publisher=Falkirk Community Trust| access-date=19 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=203534 |title=David Alexander Tait|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719152040/https://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=203534|archive-date=19 July 2021}} The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of nine bays facing onto Bo’ness Road. The central section of three bays, which was projected forward, featured a square-headed doorway, flanked by a pair of casement windows, which supported a balcony. There were three round headed windows facing out onto the balcony on the first floor. The bays flanking the central section, which were also projected forward, and the wings, of two bays each, were fenestrated by casement windows. At roof level, the central section was surmounted by a parapet and the bays flanking the central section were castellated. Internally, the principal room was the council chamber.{{canmore|desc=Grangemouth, Bo'ness Road, Municipal Chambers|num=219865| access-date=19 September 2024}}
The glazier, Daneil O'May, was commissioned to design a stained-glass window for the staircase in the building. The window incorporated the coat of arms of the burgh which featured a depiction of the steamboat, Charlotte Dundas, which was built by shipbuilders, Alexander Hart, at Grangemouth, as well as depictions of the sailing ship, Lakeside and the motor ship, Eildon.{{cite web|url=https://falkirklocalhistory.club/around-the-area/churches/stained-glass/stained-glass-in-grangemouth/grangemouth-municipal-buildings-windows/ |title=Grangemouth Municipal Buildings Windows|date=February 2020 |publisher=Falkirk Local History Society| access-date=19 September 2024}}
King George VI, accompanied by Queen Elizabeth, visited the municipal buildings in June 1946,{{cite web|url=https://collections.falkirk.gov.uk/objects/8660/visit-of-george-vi-to-grangemouth|title=Visit of George VI to Grangemouth|year=1946|publisher=Falkirk Community Trust| access-date=19 September 2024}} and Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, met with civic leaders at the municipal buildings in July 1955.{{cite web|url=https://collections.falkirk.gov.uk/objects/79397/royal-visit-to-grangemouth |title=Royal visit to Grangemouth|year=1955|publisher=Falkirk Community Trust| access-date=19 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIwWG7A9Dnw|title=The Royal Tour|year=1955|publisher=British Pathé|access-date=19 September 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/queen-elizabeth-ii-in-scotland-these-are-21-poignant-pictures-from-the-1950s-and-1960s-of-the-queen-visiting-scotland-3663219|title=Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland: These are 21 poignant pictures from the 1950s and 1960s of the Queen visiting Scotland|date=21 April 2022|newspaper=The Scotsman| access-date=19 September 2024}} The building ceased to be the local seat of government after Falkirk District Council was established in 1975.{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/65/contents|title=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|publisher=Legislation.gov.uk|accessdate=16 April 2020}} However, it continued to be used for the delivery of local services,{{cite web|url= https://www.falkirk.gov.uk/places/general-offices/municipal-chambers.aspx |title=Municipal Chambers|publisher=Falkirk Council| access-date=19 September 2024}} and to accommodate the council's employment and training unit.{{cite news|url= https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/cuts-falkirk-councils-employment-training-28987859 |title= Cuts to Falkirk Council's employment and training unit the 'least bad option'|date=18 January 2023|newspaper=The Daily Record| access-date=19 September 2024}}{{cite news|url= https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/business/need-a-job-falkirk-council-host-another-employability-day-in-grangemouth-4759833 |title= Need a job? Falkirk Council host another Employability Day in Grangemouth|date=28 August 2024|newspaper=The Falkirk Herald| access-date=19 September 2024}}