The hidden history of Wallingford Town Hall: gaol, schoolroom and corn exchange

ANYONE visiting the centre of Wallingford cannot fail to notice the town hall dominating the centre of the Market Place. It appears at first glance to be made of solid stone, but a careful look soon reveals it is actually clever stucco – plaster-work scored to look like blocks of expensive stone but in fact masking a much cheaper timber-framed building. The pillars are constructed of brick internally. A bit of a sham really!

But in 1670, when it was built, that was all that could be afforded as a replacement for the decaying medieval guildhall which then stood to the south of St Mary’s Church. In many ways the new town hall represented a fresh start after the troubles of the recent Civil War: properties had been destroyed and burgesses divided in their loyalties, but now it was time to put an end to those "late unhappy wars". Wallingford’s new town hall may not have been as grand others (such as Abingdon’s almost contemporary impressive stone building) but it was to become an iconic symbol of the town’s survival into modern times: you can see the shape of its fine Venetian north window reflected in several properties in the Market Place.

Today, you enter the hall up the steps, but these weren’t added until the 1930s. Originally you went under the hall through a heavy door (still preserved inside as the way into the cellar) and up steep stairs to the main chamber and council chamber. It was in the main hall that Borough Courts and Quarter Sessions were held, with the Mayor and other officials seated on an enclosed dais.

Above the hall was another room that in 1686 was in use as a schoolroom and in the late 18th century served as a place of worship for congregationalists awaiting completion of their new Market Place chapel (now the Roman Catholic church). In 1887 the room was taken out and the hall opened to roof level, in honour of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Now only a kitchen remains upstairs.

In the cellar was the town lock-up – the local holding place for those awaiting trial. The medieval town pillory and stocks (now in Wallingford Museum) once stood near the town hall.

In times before mass media, the town hall balcony was the place for important public proclamations such as election results or deaths and accessions of monarchs. Our own queen, visiting in 1956 to celebrate (a year late!) the 800th anniversary of the Wallingford Charter, made a speech from the balcony.

Beneath the town hall, weekly corn markets were held for nearly two centuries before the building of the Corn Exchange in 1856. Today it’s still a popular waiting or meeting place and it’s home to the Town Information Centre – a great facility where they’ll happily direct you to Wallingford Museum to find out more about the town’s history!