A blue plaque is to go up on Falmouth’s Old Town Hall to celebrating its significance in the port’s history.
Falmouth Civic Society says the blue plaque scheme closely follows the criteria that English Heritage use in their London plaques. This will be the fifth of the Falmouth plaques, and a sixth is in the pipeline.
The Old Town Hall at the top of the High Street was at the centre of the governance of the town for 141 years, as well as being the place where justice was administered.
From 1725, the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses saw the expansion of the Falmouth from a few hundred houses to a substantial town and were instrumental in supporting public facilities and the life of the town.
Support was also given on the rates and in the alleviation of distress in response to disasters such as the cholera epidemic and many serious fires in the town. The building is architecturally important and is Grade II* listed.
Originally an Independent or Congregational Chapel, it is reputed to be the second oldest non-conformist chapel in Cornwall.
It served as Falmouth’s Town Hall from 1725 to 1866, as well as housing the Assizes, Magistrates and, from 1845, the County Court.
In its application Falmouth Civic Society said: “The blue plaque will be fixed to the right of the entrance, fitting exactly between the rustications. It will line up with the transom at the head of the main doors.
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“The fixing will be the same as the blue plaque fixed to the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society building, also Grade II* listed, and Falmouth University, Rosehill building, 25 Woodlane, Grade II listed.
“The façade where it will be fixed is brick with stucco rustications. The spacing between the stucco rustications is exactly four brick courses. The plaque will be fixed midway, drilling two holes for the fixing in the mortar between the two brick courses.
“The impact will be minimal and mitigated by the addition of a plaque celebrating the building’s history.”
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