Barnsley Town Hall
Description
Barnsley Town Hall is the seat of local government in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley. The Borough's local government was last reorganised in 1986 when the South Yorkshire County Council was abolished. The former County Council was located in offices on Kendray Street, the main part of which is due for demolition as part of a major redevelopment programme.The foundation stone of Barnsley Town Hall was laid on 21 April 1932 and was opened by His Royal Highness Edward, Prince of Wales on 14 December 1933. The cost of construction of the town hall and of furnishing the new seat of local government was £188,037 12/10d. George Orwell in his book The Road to Wigan Pier was highly critical of this expenditure, and claimed that the council should have spent the money on improving the housing and living conditions of the local miners. " Orwell spent a number of days in the town living in the houses of the working-class miners while researching for the book.Every evening blue fluorescent lights are turned on in the room in the spire, leading to the Barnsley rumour that the mayor has a sunbed.Barnsley Town Hall bears more than a passing resemblance to the Parliament Buildings of Northern Ireland, Stormont, and, like Stormont, its façade is sculpted in Portland stone. This is doubtless because both buildings share the same architect, Sir Arnold Thornely.In front of the Town Hall, the soldier of the war memorial looks down Regent Street, the financial heart of Barnsley. The cenotaph was built before the Town Hall.
Tell your friends
Quiz
