Today we visited the newly renovated Rochdale Town Hall. The re-opening of the Town Hall to the public last month was big local news. Since the doors re-opened in March 2024, thousands of visitors have been welcomed back to this historic building.
Rochdale Town Hall closed its doors to the public in 2020. Since then, experts alongside over 500 volunteers have worked tirelessly on a much-needed restoration project. Restoration works were made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Hall first opened in 1871 and is a fine example of Victorian Gothic architecture. Originally used to house council offices, the building still retains a civic purpose and can now be hired for weddings and other functions.
The Town Hall is now open to the public 7 days per week 10 am to 4.30 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 4 pm on weekends. Visitors can enjoy refreshments in the cafe (the cafe was not open on our visit due to issues with the tills, but we will be returning to sample it). Visitors can book a guided tour.
Our Visit to Rochdale Town Hall
The entrance of the hall is warm and inviting. Staff are present to welcome visitors and to offer guidance on how best to explore the building and answer any questions visitors may have.
The Ground Floor
We began our visit to Rochdale Town Hall on the ground floor. To the right of the entrance is The Welcome Gallery. This room tells the story of Rochdale Town Hall and uses various visual and auditory tools to recount its history. I loved this room and spent a good deal of time in here.
Cabinets displayed historical artefacts and really did make the room feel like a modern, vibrant museum. Staff have done a wonderful job in presenting the history of the building in such a fun and interactive way.
Illustrations showed part of the restoration project and some examples of the more delicate restoration work were featured in this room.
We then moved on to The Old Council Chamber.
This room really is fascinating. The walls are lined with illustrations depicting the various trades in the town. These are original to the building and offer a 19th-century perspective on Rochdale’s industrial heritage. They really are captivating.
The ceiling is also filled with elaborate decorative illustrations.
The Council Chamber then leads onto the Mayor’s Parlour. The Mayor’s original desk and chair remain. Volunteers spent many hours in this room restoring the imagery on the walls. The room feels very personal.
The Mayoral Robes hang alongside a mirror and chairs are placed around the fireplace. It almost feels as though walking into a Victorian living room and the inhabitants are in the other room.
The Mayor’s Reception Room is the more formal Mayoral room. This was used for meetings and dinners. It is a grand room and a fine example of Victorian fashion and design.
The Small Exchange was the original entrance or lobby to the Town Hall. The ceiling depicts various local professions.
First Floor
We then used the lifts to access the first floor. We were utterly in awe when we walked into The Great Hall. I had no idea Rochdale Town Hall housed something so grand as the Great Hall. It really did feel as though we had walked into a medieval banqueting hall in a grand castle.
First of all, there are the windows. The room is lined with beautiful stained glass windows, each of which depicts an English monarch. Beginning with William the Conqueror in the right-hand corner of the room, in chronological order, the English monarchy is depicted.
36 monarchs are portrayed as colourful figures.
Queen Victoria appears on her own at the north end of the building with Albert facing her in the south.
A depiction of the signing of the Magna Carter is the feature of the huge mural on the south wall. The walls are beautifully decorated throughout.
A huge stage home to a grand organ is situated to the north of the hall. The organ, known as Binns Organ, named after its maker, J.J Binns of Leeds is described as a feature of national importance. Binns was considered to be one of the finest organ makers. This organ was built just prior to the outbreak of the First World War. Sadly after 1918 many of the materials required to build such fine instruments were never available again. The organ features 3018 pipes and 53 speaking stops.
As the organ remains boxed for protection, we assumed the instrument was no longer functioning, however, it is very much still in use and can in fact be hired for £40 per hour!
It was difficult for me to leave the Great Hall! I then explored the staircase. This part of the building is decorated with various coats of arms from local areas. The staircase itself is stunning and the perfect spot for wedding photographs!
Second Floor
Using the lift, we headed up to the Zodiac Room. This space has a more modern feel to it. It is used as a conference space and for groups of school children etc. You can peer down into the Great Hall from the window and get a different view of this majestic hall.
Accessibility
During the week, parking is relatively easy. There are several on-street parking spaces close by outside Touchstones Rochdale Museum. There are some disabled bays here also making disabled parking a short walk from the entrance of the Town Hall. Works continue on the exterior of the building and the surrounding area. Hopefully, more disbaled parking bays will be provided closer to the building once these works are completed.
From the street to the entrance of Rochdale Town Hall is a short distance, however, the ground is flat. There are no steps at the entrance of the hall making access easier for wheelchair and pram access. A lift is available for public use which covers all floors of the building. Disabled and regular toilets are located on the ground floor.
I hope you have found this post interesting. For something similar, see Discount Days Out for the Disabled and Carers North West.
