Inside the Town Hall
We have seen the exterior of this magnificent building, but the inside is equally, if not more, impressive. As you enter the main doors, under the balcony, you pass into a pillared hall called The Exchange. This Entrance hall sets the scene for the rest of the Town Hall with elaborately decorated ceilings and walls. The stained glass windows, either side of the main door, depict the coats of arms of the counties with whom Rochdale traded. Once in the Exchange the next striking feature that you are presented with is the magnificent stone staircase. This staircase divides at landing level both left and right and these branches lead up to the Great Hall.
Left: The Exchange, looking towards the main entrance. Right: The Staircase viewed from the Exchange.
The two upper staircases, both viewed from the doors to the Great Hall
At the top of the stairs is the Great Hall. This a breath taking room. The main feature is the stained glass windows that, starting in the south east corner, depict every sovereign of England from William the Conqueror all the way round to Queen Victoria. At each end of the hall, high up in the roof is a beautiful rose window (The rose window on the east side has, in the centre, a stained glass picture of the rock star Phil Collins! What remarkable foresight the Victorians had! Ok, it's actually Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband.) Beneath the rose window at the east end is a fresco by Henry Holiday of the signing of the Magna Charta.
The East End of the Great Hall showing the Magna Charta fresco and the rose window
On the west wall of the hall there is a fine organ. This organ was built in 1913 by JJ Binns of Leeds and was presented to the Corporation by Alderman Samuel Turner, J.P on 9th July of that year.
Left: During construction. Middle: Close up of the fine organ. Right: 1999.
Examples of the fine stained glass windows found in the Great Hall
More Interior Pictures of the Town Hall
Last updated: 19/07/01