Rotherham's Town Halls
The Medieval Town Hall in Rotherham was situated in the thick of things next to the Sheep Market in the area that is now part of the Market Street redevelopment. I can actually remember a picture, an engraving, of a two storey building with stocks and stalls in front of it. The building was still in existence in the 1770s but had ceased to be the Town Hall. Of course it has now gone.
A new Town Hall was built on Jesus Gate (Effingham Street area) to replace the old town hall in 1739. It cost between £500 and £600 and was on a site between the old Manorial Bakehouse at the entrance to Little Church Yard. It was a two storey building; the entrance was on the first floor with notable flights of steps up to it. The main hall was used for the Quarter Sessions, assemblies and balls. From 1775 the Earl of Effingham held his Manor Court here and it was also used for meetings of the Feoffees. Rotherham Grammar School was situated on the ground floor. This building too has disappeared under later redevelopment.
From 1871 Rotherham's Town Hall was based in set of buildings in Howard Street used as offices by the Local Board. In 1895 the Council acquired the temperance hall, mechanics institute and bank adjacent to the offices. These were remodeled into a new town hall and assembly rooms. The building is still in existence though it is now a 'shopping mall'.
In the 1980s the Town Hall first moved to Elliott House (also demolished) and then to its present site in the Crofts. Visit the present Rotherham Town Hall.