Town Hall

Performance Spaces

Overview

History

Bibliographic Sources

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18th c. view
Map of Dover
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Venue Type & Location

Town Hall

Site Name: Town Hall
Location: Dover
County: Kent
Location Type: Town - in town at determined location

Overview

The Jacobean town hall was built on the site of the former Market Cross in the centre of the marketplace. The hall was on the upper storey on pillars above open market stalls. It has been described as 50 feet long and 'of convenient breadth' which was 'beautified with fair windows' (Statham, History of Dover 127). A contemporary drawing shows 2 large windows on the N side of the hall and 3 on the W.

Performance History

From the time of its construction in the early 17th c. it is likely that official performances by touring professional companies for the mayor and council would have taken place in the town hall.

Current Status

Demolished.

History of the Venue

1607 First council meeting held in the new hall.

1613 The town hall was strengthened and a gallery was constructed.

1639 Major rebuilding undertaken.

1836 The council removed to the new town hall at Maison Dieu.

1836--48 Old hall used as the town museum.

1861 Demolished.

Record Source

REED Kent: Diocese of Canterbury 2.495--528

Bibliographic Sources

View a list of abbreviations.

  • 'Artist's Double Take.' Dover Mercury (18 February 2003)
  • Batcheller, W. The New Dover Guide. Dover and London: Sinkpkin, Marshall and Co, 1853.
  • 'Dover Market Place.' Gentleman's Magazine 63.1 (February 1788): Plate II between 104 and 105.
  • Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom. 05/11/2009 (http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/places/market_square.htm)
  • Green, Ivan. Dover and the Monarchy: From Conquest to Glorious Revolution, 1066–1688. Dover: Triangle Publications, 2001.
  • Hasted, Edward. The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. 1st ed [1778]. 12 vols. Canterbury: Printed for the author by Simmons and Kirkby, 1778.
  • Jones, John Bavington. Annals of Dover. Dover: Dover Express Works, 1938.
  • Newman, John. North East and East Kent. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth and New York: Penguin, 1983.
  • A Short Historical Sketch of the Town of Dover, and Its Neighbourhood. Dover: Z. Warren, 1828.
  • Statham, S.P.H. The History of the Castle, Town, and Port of Dover. London, New York and Bombay: Longmans, Green and Co., 1899.