Hidden Architecture of Vestry Hall

Little had been written about Mitcham's old Town Hall, the Vestry Hall as it was originally known, other than a couple of references dismissing it as 'ugly'.

Evidence from The Builder magazine, published in the 1887, the year the Vestry Hall opened, tells another story.

In this video I look at the description in the Builder periodical, and talk about the features it referred to using photos I have taken both from outside the building and within. The recent refurbishment of the building has revealed its open timber ceiling and the ventilation outlets that are connected to the ventilation 'flèche' on the high-pitched roof.

I also talk about the original entrances and the pink 'Shawk' limestone that had been quarried in Carlisle.

Finally I make a couple of guesses: about the significance of the wavy lines in the string course, and the classical architecture used at the entrances.

The themes covered in this video were also the subject of a talk I gave at the July meeting of Mitcham Cricket Green Community & Heritage, of which I am a member. We are currently pursuing an application to have the Vestry Hall listed as Grade 2 with Historic England.

LINKS

Vestry Hall on Mitcham History Notes includes the full text of the article that appeared in The Builder periodical:-
https://mitchamhistorynotes.com/build...

My talk given in July 2025 can be found on the 'History Nuggets' webpage
https://mitchamcricketgreen.org.uk/hi...

Chapters

0:00 Intro
0:40 Eric Montague
1:05 'Ugly' Town Hall
2:10 The Builder
3:00 Red brick and pink Shawk
4:40 44 bus
5:10 Dimensions
7:45 Ventilating fleche
12:58 Firemen's Bell
14:08 Listing application
14:33 Guess 1 Wavy Line
15:25 Guess 2 Classical Entrances