Banff Town House

The first municipal building in the town was a tolbooth which was built of the west side of Low Street, on the corner with Strait Path, in the early 16th century.[3] After the tolbooth became dilapidated the burgh leaders decided to construct a new building, the steeple, on the east side of Low Street.[3] There were strong objections from Rear-Admiral William Gordon, who was concerned that the steeple might collapse on his property, Carmelite House, located to the south.[4]

The steeple was designed by John Adam in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone by a master mason, John Marr, and was completed in 1767.[5][6] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with just one bay facing onto Low Street; the first stage involved a doorway with a cornice and a blind oculus above, the second stage incorporated a blind Diocletian window, the third stage involved a clock with a pediment, the fourth stage incorporated a round headed louvered opening and the fifth stage took the form of a hexagonal spire.[1] The bell in the steeple was designed and cast by Lester and Pack of London.[3]

In the late 18th century, the burgh leaders decided to augment the structure with a town house on a site to the north of the steeple. The town house was financed by public subscription and amounts subscribed included a donation of 100 guineas from the local member of parliament, Sir William Grant.[3] The town house was designed by James Reid in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone at a cost of £1,700 and was completed in 1797.[2] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing onto Low Street; the central bay featured a doorway with a four-light rectangular window above; the building was fenestrated with sash windows in the other bays on the ground floor and in the bays on the first and second floors. Internally, the principal rooms were a reception room on the first floor and a ballroom on the second floor.[3] There was also an office for the sheriffs' clerk and some prison cells.[2]

The Banff Museum was established in the town house in 1828 but then relocated to Banff Academy in 1838.[7] Following significant population growth, largely associated with the fishing industry, Banff became a police burgh with the town house as its headquarters in 1840.[8] The town's mercat cross was moved several times before finding a permanent home on the Plainstanes, the elevated stone pavement in front of the town house, in June 1900.[9][10]

The town house continued in the role of burgh headquarters for much of the 20th century[11] and continued to be the meeting place of the enlarged Banff and Buchan District Council after it was formed in 1975.[12][13] It ceased to be the local seat of government after the new unitary authority, Aberdeenshire Council, was formed in Aberdeen in 1996.[14] However, it continued to serve as the local area office of the new council.[15] An extensive programme of refurbishment works, which created improved facilities for the local customer service point and job centre, was completed by Morrison Construction at a cost of £1.75 million in July 2015.[16][17][18]

• 
  The steeple and Carmelite House
• 
  The town's mercat cross. The edge of the town house is on the right

• List of listed buildings in Banff, Aberdeenshire