Whithorn, 53 St John Street, New Town Hall

The new town hall, also in St John Street, and likewise designed by David Henry, was built by public subscription in 1885–86, at a cost of £1100, with a smaller hall added in 1898. It could hold about 500 people, and was described as ‘plain but substantial’. It was built purely to provide a public hall, and the council continued to meet and hold burgh courts in the old town house.

Information from ‘The Scottish Burgh Survey, Historic Whithorn: Archaeology and Development’ (2010).

NX 44609 40447 A basic historic building survey was carried out, on 5 April 2021, of New Town Hall, 53 St John Street, Whithorn, prior to the alteration of the existing structure including external and internal adaptions. A watching brief then followed on 9 July 2021.

The New Town Hall is an example of late 19th-century municipal architecture designed by David Henry, which retains much of the original design, particularly to the exterior. The addition of a brick extension to the W detracts little from the building, partially due to its addition on the less visible western side of the building. Internally, the building retains some original features but has undergone modernisation during the 20th century.

The archaeological watching brief was successful in noting below ground remains of the previously recorded extension to the New Town Hall. No further archaeologically significant finds or remains were uncovered. This is probably due to the extensive groundworks that likely occurred to build both the original building and extension due to the high and extensive bedrock typifying the area.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: All Roads Lead to Whithorn Trust

Robert Usher – AOC Archaeology Group

Information from OASIS ID: aocarcha1-424768 (R. Usher) 2021.