{{Short description|Municipal building in Hartlepool, County Durham, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Hartlepool Borough Hall | native_name = | image = Hartlepool Borough Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1606381.jpg | caption= The build from Croft Gardens | locmapin =County Durham | map_caption =Shown in County Durham | coordinates ={{coord| 54.6962|N| 1.1835|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | location =Middlegate, Headland, Hartlepool | area = Borough of Hartlepool | built =1866 | architect =Charles J. Adams | architecture =Italianate style | designation1 =Grade II Listed Building | designation1_offname = Borough Buildings and Borough Hall, Middlegate | designation1_date = 17 December 1985 | designation1_number = 1263357 | website= }} '''Hartlepool Borough Hall''' is municipal building, which served as the meeting place of the old Hartlepool Borough Council, before it amalgamated with West Hartlepool County Borough Council. It is located on the Headland, Hartlepool in County Durham, England and is a Grade II listed building.<ref name=listed>{{NHLE|desc= Borough Buildings and Borough Hall, Middlegate |num= 1263357|access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref>
==History== Hartlepool was an ancient borough, having been given a charter by King John in 1200.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Surtees |first1=Robert |title=The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham: Volume 3 |date=1823 |publisher=Nichols and Son |location=London |pages=99–120 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/antiquities-durham/vol3/pp99-120 |access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3 |date=1835 |page=1531 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N3FTAAAAcAAJ&pg=1531 |access-date=28 February 2024}}</ref> It was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1850.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visionofbritain.org/unit/10173700|title=Harlepool CB/MB|publisher=Vision of Britain|access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HvAGAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA76 |title=A history of Hartlepool. Reprinted with a supplementary history to 1851 inclusive |first=Sir Cuthbert |last=Sharp|page=76|publisher=John Proctor|year=1851}}</ref>
A few years later the council decided to commission a new market hall which could also serve as their headquarters: the site they chose was a street known as Johnny's Close.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hhtandn.org/venues/831/borough-buildings |title= Borough Buildings|publisher=Hartlepool History Then and Now| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref>
The foundation stone for the new building was laid on 10 August 1865.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=2tMHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA277 |title= The Local Records of Stockton and the Neighbourhood: Or, a Register of Memorable Events |first= Thomas |last=Richmond|page=277|publisher=William Robinson|year=1868}}</ref> It was designed by Charles J. Adams in the Italianate style, built in red brick with stone dressings at a cost of £5,000 and was officially opened by the mayor, James Groves, on 4 October 1866.<ref name=iln>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hXBwMY2RaTYC&pg=PA389 |title=The Town Hall, Hartlepool|newspaper=The Illustrated London News|date=10 October 1866| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hXBwMY2RaTYC&pg=PA351 |title= Country News|newspaper=Illustrated London News|date=13 October 1866| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with eleven bays facing onto Middlegate; the central bay featured a three-stage tower with a wide arched opening on the ground floor, two short lancet windows and a medallion containing the borough coat of arms on the first floor and two tall lancet windows on the second floor. The tower was surmounted by a pyramid-shaped roof, a square lantern and a spire. The wings contained doorways with fanlights in the third bays from each end. The other bays in the wings were fenestrated, on the ground floor, with round headed windows and, on the first floor, with two-light round headed windows with colonettes separating the lights and with ornate carvings in the spandrels.<ref name=listed/> Internally, the building accommodated a market hall, a courtroom, a police station and offices for the borough officials.<ref name=iln/> There also were lock-up cells for petty criminals in the rear block.<ref name=listed/>
In 1926, the market hall was converted into a dance hall and re-decorated in an Art Deco style with a proscenium arch.<ref name=listed/> A dedicated council chamber was also established in the building at that time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18286428.fresh-vision-hartlepool-borough-hall/ |title= A fresh vision for Hartlepool Borough Hall|date=6 March 2020| newspaper=Teesside Live| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> The building continued to serve as the headquarters of the old Hartlepool Borough Council until 1967, when the council amalgamated with West Hartlepool Borough Council, with the enlarged council based at the old West Hartlepool headquarters at the Municipal Buildings in Church Square.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=1967-02-07a.1516.4 |title= Local Government Boundaries (Hartlepool) |date=7 February 1967|publisher=House of Commons Debates| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1967/feb/08/hartlepool-order-1966|title= Hartlepool Order 1966|date= 8 February 1967|work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref>
The borough hall subsequently became an events venue and notable performers have included the singer Morrissey, who appeared there in May 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/morrissey-play-middlesbrough-town-hall-3687536 |title= Morrissey to play Middlesbrough Town Hall|date=13 May 2013|newspaper=Teesside Live| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> The BBC television programme, ''Question Time'', was also broadcast from the borough hall in October 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/how-grab-seat-question-time-22083404 |title=How to grab a seat in the Question Time audience as show heads to Hartlepool|date=6 November 2021| newspaper=Teesside Live| access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Government buildings completed in 1866 Category:City and town halls in County Durham Category:Buildings and structures in Hartlepool Category:Grade II listed buildings in County Durham