1873 – Former Town Hall, Holywood, Co. Down­

Red & white brick townhall with cement dressings. Built in two stages, with the tower completed a couple of years later. Two symmetrical broad staircases led to the first floor which was given over to a large hall, used for assemblies and dances, having a gallery at one end, an orchestra pit at the other and with rooms off it. The architect was William Batt of Belfast, thecostbeingalittleover£2,000. The Town Hall faithfully served Holywood in manv capacities until the early hours of Christmas Eve 1940 when it was totally destroyed in a spectacular fire.

“The ground floor contains public library and news-room, town commissioners’ room, cloak-room, and caretaker’s apartments, &c. lead to large hall over, having gallery at one end and orchestra at the other, with retiring rooms off same. The fittings of main hall are of pitch pine stained and varnished. The walls are faced with red and white bricks, having cement dressings. It is intended hereafter to raise the tower, to suit a public clock, as shown in the view. The works were executed in a satisfactory manner by the contractor, Mr. William Nimick, of Holywood, from the plans and under the superintendence of the architect, Mr. William Batt, jun., of Belfast, the outlay being over £2,000” Published in The Irish Builder April 1 1876.