1 - the Courte House: 14th century - c1573
2 - Town Hall and Market House: 1573 - 1786
3 - Georgian Town Hall: 1786 - 1871
4 - Victorian Corn Exchange & Town Hall: 1871 ->

The first "Mediaeval" Town Hall was known as the "Courte House", as it was there that the Hocktide Court had its meetings. It may have dated back to the 14th century. There is a record to say that a court was held in 1361.

This may have been the same building as the Cross House. In a town rental c1470 there is an entry of 1d 'per domo Sti. Crucis in medio vill', or 'for the house of the Holy Cross in the town centre' (TNA DL  43/1/4). The usual plan for a  market house in many towns across Britain was for the ground floor to be open to the street on three sides through arches, but closed at one  end where a small room housed the various measures and implements of the market clerk. Frequently the  building included an upper chamber which might be used for one or more of a variety of purposes, such as a court house or town hall, chaplain's school house, or simply leased for an  income. The Cross House seems to have been one of the possessions of the Chantry of Holy Trinity, adding support to the possibility that the upper room was used as a school, which we know existed, and which it was usual for a chaplain to run.

A survey by the Duchy of Lancaster of 1543/4 referred to the "Courte House" as being "ruinous and utterly dekeyed". There is no mention in the survey of a "Cross House", and it seems likely that were indeed one and the same building.

Although the age of this first building is not known, an important structure like this may have lasted about 200 years, and it might therefore have been erected during the mid 14th century, possibly even under the instruction of John of Gaunt.

It seems that the old combined house-cum-town hall was becoming dilapidated - the complaints of the 1544 and 1549 surveys were again repeated during the "Charters Case" in 1573, which again referred to the "weakness of the building". Something had to be done!

The second "Elizabethan" Town Hall. In 1573 a new Town Hall was erected.

In 1573 the old Cross House was leased to a shoemaker, John White, as one of the ex-chantry buildings (that is, building from which the chantry drew the rental) which were sold off after the dissolution of the chantries. In the 1573 town survey (a very authoritative and thorough investigation headed by the Surveyor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Edward Twynho) the Cross House is leased to John White at an increased quit rent of 2d. The entry is immediately followed by a statement new to these surveys: "The town and whole parish of Hungerford have at their own cost builded an house with shop under called the Town Hall, wherein the Queen's courts and law days are kept and there is also the prison kept [there]."

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A further survey in 1607 (Berks RO H/M6) shows that the town had now acquired a buttermarket, the gift of Erasmus Webb.

Only one of these buildings paid a quit rent - the old market house, which paid 2d. In 1573 the Cross House had paid a quit rent of 2d, a sum the more notable because few premises escaped so lightly.

The various chantry properties were acquired first by Robert Chaloner, then by Henry Edes. The "Market House" had been acquired later by Sir Richard Hawkins (c.1634- 1687) a London merchant. In 1675 the upper part of the building was leased to John Ball (a local joiner) for 99 years, on condition he carried out extensive repairs and alterations to the building.

When Sir Richard Hawkins died in 1687 the town trustees purchased this market house from his executors and on 29 Nov 1688 the executors of Sir Richard Hawkins released to the town feoffees the Market House and Millmead (Berks R.O: H/T33).

On 22 Feb 1688/9 there is a declaration of trust by the feoffees (Berks R.O: H/T33) of Millmead and the Market House, released to them by the executors of Sir Richard Hawkins, alderman of the city of London, deceased together with Richard Hawkins his son and heir and Katherine his widow on 29 Nov 1688 for consideration of £12 10 shillings.

It seems therefore that the "Market House" was privately owned by Sir Richard Hawkins, a London Alderman. It was bought from his executors after his death in 1688, the same year that Prince William of Orange came to The Bear.

Around the Town Hall stood the usual pillory, stocks and whipping-post. A ducking-stool was kept there, and when required it was wheeled up the High Street for use in the town pond which used to be on the east side of the High Street opposite the old National School building.
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The north gable of the Town Hall contained a "Clock House", and in 1687 a new clock was bought for £10, a large sum indeed at that time. The clockwinder at the time was John Tubb. This Jacobean Town Hall was to last until the latter part of the eighteenth century, when in its turn it too was replaced by a new building.

The third "Georgian" Town Hall was built in 1786, and stood in the middle of the market-place, surmounted by its octagonal cupola.

It was similar to the 1607 building, and included a blind house (as a lock-up or prison cell), and a place for the fire engine. In 1832 the magistrates complained of the poor sanitary arrangements in the cells, so the "blind house" was extended by making use of the space previously set aside for the fire engine, which was housed elsewhere.

There is a nice painting of the Georgian town hall by G Shepherd, dated 1829.

In June 1862, Mr. Hall, the Magistrate's Clerk, gave to the town a grand new clock. To accommodate it, the 1786 Town Hall was altered by adding a special new clock-tower.
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The 1871 Corn Exchange and Town Hall

The 1607 Town Hall in 1769

The 1786 Town Hall,
from a glass plate of 1862

The 1786 Town Hall, now with
Mr Hall's clock in the new clock tower.

The description of the 1871 Town Hall and Corn Exchange:

The Parish Magazine of November 1871 describes the new building: "Hungerford Town Hall and Corn Exchange is built of red brick and Bath stone for the front facade, and forms a very handsome elevation in the Italian style. The arches to arcade, which are supported by stone columns and carved capitals, are filled in with ornamental bricks, which, with the frieze ornamented in like manner, together with the well proportioned tower gives to the whole frontage a rich and pleasing architectural effect. The building is entered through wrought iron gates under the clock tower, and on the left of the spacious entrance hall is the justice room, affording ample accommodation for the business of the courts. On leaving the justice room we enter the inner hall, out of which, by means of a handsome staircase of stone well lighted, the Town Hall is reached. By a short corridor (which gives accommodation on either side for convenient ante-rooms) we have immediate access to the Corn Exchange, the walls of which are lined with white bricks, interspersed with red string course and bands. It has an open timbered roof, stained and varnished; a skylight runs along the entire length of the room, giving good light and ventilation; a gallery is provided at the east end, approached from the principla staircase, and will be found very useful as a ladies' gallery, or for an orchestra. On arriving at the top of the principal staircase, and opening from a spacious landing, we have on our right the Town Hall; on our left the gallery (overlooking the Corn Exchange) and ladies' retiring room. The Town Hall is a well proportioned room, and though ornamentation has been strictly avoided the effect is good and imposing. The whole of the works have been carried out in a most satisfactory manner by Mr Hoskings, contractor, Hungerford, from the design and under the superintendence of the architect, Mr James H Money, of Newbury. The handsome clock, presented to the town a few years since by mr Hall, has been replaced in the new building, and two new-dials added. The weather vane to the clock tower has been presented by Mr Platt, of Hungerford. Mr Low, of Hungerford, who was the sub-contractor for the plumbing, painting, and glazing, presented the stained glass window in Town Hall, bearing the town arms and those of John o'Gaunt. The carving was done by M. de Visse."

For a few months only there were two Town Halls in Hungerford. The photograph above shows the now empty clock tower, the clock having been transferred to the tower of the newly-built Corn Exchange behind. Between January and April 1872 the old building was demolished, some of the materials being used to build cottages in Church Street.

Film poster outside the Corn Exchange