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Latitude: 54.7327 / 54°43'57"N
Longitude: -4.4163 / 4°24'58"W
OS Eastings: 244516
OS Northings: 540205
OS Grid: NX445402
Mapcode National: GBR HJG6.9SL
Mapcode Global: WH3VM.498N
Plus Code: 9C6QPHMM+3F
Entry Name: Old Town Hall, 65-69 George Street, Whithorn
Listing Name: 65, 67 and 69 George Street, Including Old Town Hall and Bell Tower
Listing Date: 20 July 1972
Category: B
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 388668
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB42197
Building Class: Cultural
Also known as: Whithorn, 65-69 George Street, Old Town Hall
ID on this website: 200388668
Location: Whithorn
County: Dumfries and Galloway
Town: Whithorn
Electoral Ward: Mid Galloway and Wigtown West
Traditional County: Wigtownshire
Tagged with: Architectural structure
EAST (FRONT) ELEVATION: Tall round-arched doorway at centre with geometric patterned fanlight and 2-leaf doors, leading to internal stair to 1st floor courtroom. Nineteenth century shop fronts flanking; tripartite to left with door to centre; single window to right with door flanking toward centre. Window to each bay at 1st floor. The date '1814' is inscribed on the blocking-course.
Lower 2-storey property adjoined to left, gable line of former 2-storey property on right return, now adjoined by tall single storey building. 4-pane glazing pattern in sash and case windows to courtroom. Grey slates. Ashlar coped skews. Broad end stacks. Re-used date stone '1709' built into lower rear of building.
TOWER AND SPIRE: 4-stage tower, set at the centre of the rear wall of the main block with top stage slightly intaken above ashlar band. Round-arched openings to 3 faces of 3rd stage and circular clock faces to 4th (top) stage. Balustraded parapet. Ashlar conical spire with louvred ventilator panel.
Former bell, now in Whithorn Museum (information courtesy of a member of the public 2022). Dated 1708 and inscribed PETER VANDER GHEIN HEEFT MY GHEGOTEN INT IAER / 1708 ('Peter Vander Ghein cast me in the year 1708') .
The old town hall at Whithorn is of special interest as a visibly prominent early 19th century tolbooth that retains its landmark, staged bell tower, and which contributes to our understanding of Whithorn's social history.
While a tolbooth is known to have existed in Whithorn from at least the mid 17th century, documentary evidence suggests it was rebuilt first in 1708-9, and then was demolished and removed from a site in the middle of the street to be rebuilt in its present location in around 1809 (Canmore ID 63288). The predecessor building may be that depicted in the centre of the street on the Roy Military survey map of 1747-55. The present tower and spire may incorporate some re-used, earlier fabric, and a re-used stone inscribed '1709' is built into the rear of the building.
Tolbooths functioned as centres of local administration and justice in Scottish burghs from the medieval period to the 19th century. Surviving examples are often architecturally detailed and prominent buildings with steeples or bell towers, and those that retain their historic character and setting are likely to be listed. The earliest surviving examples date from the late 16th century and include Musselburgh tolbooth (listed category A, LB38308) and Canongate tolbooth (listed category A, LB27582). In Dumfries and Galloway, architecturally outstanding examples include the 18th century tolbooths at Sanquhar by William Adam (listed category A, LB40540) and at Lochmaben (listed category A, LB37541).
The town hall was replaced in 1885 by a new building at 53 St John Street (listed separately as LB42261).
Listed building record revised in 2022.
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