Old Town Hall, Newton Abbot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Old Town Hall | |
|---|---|
 The St Paul's Road frontage in 2009 | |
| Location | Devon Square, Newton Abbot |
| Coordinates | 50°31′48″N 3°36′13″W / 50.5299°N 3.6035°W |
| Built | 1862 |
| Architect | William John Rowell |
| Architectural style | Italianate style |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | 9–13 Devon Square (No 9 former Town Hall) |
| Designated | 26 March 1975 |
| Reference no. | 1257148 |
  Shown in Devon | |
The Old Town Hall, also known as No. 9 Devon Square, is a former municipal building in Devon Square in Newton Abbot, a town in Devon, in England. The structure, which started life as a private house and was later converted for municipal use, is a Grade II listed building.[1]
The building was commissioned by the local landowner, William Courtenay, 11th Earl of Devon, as part of a terrace of five properties on Devon Square. The site he chose was occupied by a lock-up which was used to accommodate escaped prisoners from HM Prison Dartmoor and was supervised by the Superintendent Constable of the Lock-up House, William Thomas Baker.[2]
The terrace was designed by the earl's architect, William John Rowell, in the Italianate style, built in brick with a stucco finish and was completed in 1862. On completion of the building, Rowell moved into No. 9 himself, accompanied by his wife and children.[3][4] Rowell continued to live there until he died in September 1911.[5] The building was then taken over by the YMCA which remained there until after the Second World War.[3]
In the 1980s, the building was acquired by Newton Abbot Town Council as their offices and meeting place and an extension was added at its rear.[1][a] The Newton Abbot Town and Great Western Railway Museum was established in the building in the early 1990s.[10][11] At a ceremony in the building, the commanding officer of the nuclear submarine, HMS Triumph, Commander Steve Waller, accepted the freedom of the town in September 2019.[12]
In March 2020, the town council relocated to St Leonard's Church in Wolborough Street, which was restored and converted to accommodate the council.[13][14] The museum followed to St Leonard's Church in October 2020.[15] The building in Devon Square, which was renamed Great Western House, was subsequently occupied by a firm of funeral directors, Parker's Family Funeral Directors.[16]