The extension to Hebden Bridge's Town Hall is to be built of best Pennine stone. Hebden Bridge Community Association announced today that the stone for the major new building will come from the Crosland Hill quarry near Huddersfield, regarded as one of the best sources of true Yorkstone. The stone, which is a Millstone Grit sandstone, is light buff in colour and is extremely hard. It will be a very good match for the stone used in 1897 and 1898 when the original Town Hall was built.

The stone has been chosen by the building contractors, Strategic Team Group, who will be overseeing its selection and installation. Crosland Hill stone, described by one architect as 'about the most beautiful yorkstone currently available', has been used recently for work on Leeds cathedral, Blackburn cathedral and Bradford Law Courts. Further afield, it has paved the high-profile Paternoster Square next to St Paul's Cathedral in London and the Buckingham Palace Queens Gallery.

"We're delighted that we will be able to use high-quality stone for the Town Hall development," says Peter Hirst, chair of the Community Association. "The new building will be a landmark for many years to come, and the town deserves the best we can afford."

The quarries at Crosland Hill have been worked for at least a hundred years, and the stone has been used widely in west Yorkshire towns. The Millstone Grit itself is around 300-325 million years old, when what is now Yorkshire was south of the equator as part of a continent called Gondwana. The hills which have become the Pennines were created when Gondwana collided with another large tectonic plate. The stone's distinctive yellow and golden colour comes from iron which penetrated the rock.

For the Town Hall development, ashlar stone will be used. This is dressed stone, unlike many other buildings in the town which have used the cheaper split-faced stone alternative. The existing Town Hall is also constructed using ashlar stone.

The Community Association is now appealing for local support to ensure that the new riverside courtyard can also be flagged using yorkstone, rather than with substitute paving. The total cost is ?18,235, and the Association is appealing for sponsors prepared to 'buy' a square metre of courtyard flagstone for ?100. "We have successfully raised the funding needed for the core building costs, but for the important details like this we are asking the Hebden Bridge community to play its own part," Peter Hirst says. Details on sponsorship can be found on the Community Association website or from Andrew Bibby on HB 844026.

 

Previously

Town Hall Development gets go ahead
(Dec 2010)

Calderdale planners give green light to Town Hall plans

Calderdale Council give 125 year lease for Town Hall (26 October 2010)

HebWeb Forum discussion

Town Hall Development Plans go to Calderdale (16 July 2010)

Community-run Town Hall to honour co-operative pioneer (June 2010)

Public consultation on Town Hall plans (May 2010)

Hebden Bridge Town Hall passes into Community Ownership (March 2010)

Association seeks Treasurer to take on Town Hall role (2 March 2010)

Invitation to see plans for Town Hall (Feb 2010)

Weddings and civil partnerships at Town Hall (Jan 2010)

Town Hall Future Secure (Dec 2009)

Open Doors at Town Hall attracts hundreds

One of England’s smallest parishes makes big contribution towards plans for Hebden Bridge’s Town Hall

Two major grants boost Town Hall Project

Town Hall Group seeks ‘Friends’ (April 2009)

Hebden Bridge Town Hall project: Transfer of Town Hall to community ownership one step closer (March 2009)

HebWeb News: New Charity created to manage Town Hall (Jan 2009)

HebWeb News: Government gives thumbs up to Hebden Bridge Town Hall plans (July 2008)

HebWeb News: Plans to put Town Hall once again at the heart of local life (October 2007)