Heritage Open Days Festival
Newbury Town Hall is throwing open its doors to the public as part of this year’s Heritage Open Days Festival on Saturday 13 September, 10am to 2pm.
The public are invited to view the Council Chamber, The Civic Staircase, the Council’s maces and other civic regalia. This includes the Town Hall Honours Boards, which list the Mayors of Newbury, going back to 1596 and features many well-known local families. Although meetings in the Town Hall are open to the public, and there are often coffee mornings and other community events in the Chamber, it appears there are still a lot of Newbury people who have not visited the Chamber. This event is FREE, and all are welcome.
Speaking ahead of the event, the Mayor of Newbury, Cllr David Harman said, “We are delighted to be welcoming residents and visitors into the Town Hall once again. For many, this will be my first chance to explore one of Newbury’s most historic buildings, right at the heart of our community. From learning the story behind our two ceremonial maces, to discovering why a teazel appears on our town flag, there is so much heritage to uncover.”
In the Council Chamber, as well as the Honours Boards, the Mayor’s Throne and the Council’s maces will be on display. The maces date from 1707 (Queen Anne) and 1758 (King George II). The Victorian Town Hall (facing the Market Place) was built from 1876-78 and The Town Hall clock and clock tower were added three years later, in 1881. The Municipal Offices (facing Mansion House Street) were built from 1909-10.
