Knutsford Town Hall

The town hall was a gift to the town from the lord of the manor, the 1st Lord Egerton who lived at Tatton Hall.[2] It was designed by Alfred Waterhouse in the Gothic Revival style, built by J. Parnell & Sons in red brick with blue brick dressings and was completed in 1871.[1][3] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with seven bays facing Princess Street; it was arcaded on the ground floor, so that markets could be held, with a large assembly room on the first floor.[1] The second bay on the left featured a prominent porch with a gable.[1] The arcade of five bays to the right incorporated arched openings supported by blue brick columns, while the first floor featured a row of three-light gothic windows flanked by panels containing coats of arms.[1] The attic floor featured three dormer windows with quatrefoil glazing and, at roof level, there was a central spirelet.[1]

The town hall was latterly mainly used as an events venue. Knutsford Urban District Council, formed in 1895,[4] was initially based at offices in King Street but after Knutsford Prison closed in 1913,[5] moved its main departments to the former Governor's House, just 200 yards (180 m) to the south of the town hall on Toft Road.[6] While the ground floor of the town hall continued to be used for markets, the first floor was converted for use as a boys' club and an education centre: exhibits in the education centre included the 4th Lord Egerton's collection of military weapons and natural history items.[7][8][9]

Shortly before the Normandy landings in June 1944, General George S. Patton, delivered a speech in Knutsford which was perceived to be critical of the Soviet Union, and to have "slap(ped) the face of every one of the United Nations except Great Britain";[10] these events were depicted in the film Patton: Lust for Glory, with George C. Scott in the title role, scenes from which were filmed in front of the town hall in 1969.[11][12] The town hall was subsequently acquired by the conservationist, Randle Brooks.[2][13] Brookes in turn leased it to a local furniture shop owner, Derek Panagakis, for use as a furniture showroom in 1973.[2] The building fell empty in 2011 but was converted for public house use at a cost of £2 million by The Revere Pub Company in 2016; it now operates as a public house known as "Lost and Found".[14][15]

• Listed buildings in Knutsford