Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall

The previous building on the site was the "Market House": it was arcaded on the ground floor and had an assembly room on the first floor and was completed in 1634.[2] It was used as a munitions store during the English Civil War until it exploded on 25 February 1643.[3] It was restored in 1661 but, by the mid 18th century, it was "in a dangerous and ruinous state".[3][4][lower-alpha 1]

The current building, which was designed by Robert Newman in the Palladian style, was completed in 1767.[1] It was officially opened by the actor, David Garrick, in 1769.[1] The design for the Sheep Street elevation involved three bays which were originally arcaded on the ground floor; on the first floor there were two windows with a statue of William Shakespeare by John Cheere in a niche between the windows.[5] On the Chapel Street elevation the design involved five bays in a similar style but with the words "God Save the King" painted below the first floor window sills; above the first floor was a large pediment containing the borough's coat of arms.[1] The principal rooms were the courtroom, with a rich coffered ceiling, on the ground floor and the ballroom, with Tuscan order pilasters and fine Rococo detailing, on the first floor.[1]

Council meetings continued to be held in the Guildhall until 1843 when they were transferred to the town hall.[6] The building was altered in 1863, when the arcading was blocked up with windows, and a rear extension was added with a window and a porch facing onto Sheep Street.[1] The courtroom continued to host petty sessions until 1878 when the room was converted into a council chamber.[7] During the First World War, the town hall was used as a Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment auxiliary hospital.[8]

The ballroom was badly damaged in a fire in December 1946 but was subsequently restored.[1] The council chamber continued to be the meeting place of the borough council but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Stratford-on-Avon District Council was formed in 1974.[9] It remains, however, the meeting place of the local town council.[10]

Works of art held by the town hall include a painting by Nathaniel Dance-Holland depicting David Garrick performing as King Richard III in Shakespeares's play, Richard III,[11] and a painting by William Hamilton depicting Sarah Siddons performing as Euphrasia in Arthur Murphy's play, The Grecian Daughter.[12]