Bold new future opening up as landmark is revitalised.WORK will start next month on the second phase of a pounds 1.1m project to revitalise one of the most historic landmark buildings in a Northumberland market town. Morpeth Town Hall - which is almost 300 years old and was designed by famed architect Sir John Vanburgh - is being restored to its former glory following concerns that its appearance had suffered through years of neglect. Last year the building was swathed in scaffolding and plastic sheeting for six months to allow its exterior stonework stonework, term applied to various types of work—that of the lapidary who shapes, cuts, and polishes gemstones or engraves them for seals and ornaments; of the jeweler or artisan who mounts or encrusts them in gold, silver, or other metal; of the stonemason who to be steam-cleaned, restored and repaired under specifications drawn up by English Heritage English Heritage is a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) with a broad remit of managing the historic environment of England. It was set up under the terms of the National Heritage Act 1983. . Now Castle Morpeth Castle Morpeth is a local government district and borough in Northumberland, England. Its administrative centre is Morpeth. The district was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of the borough of Morpeth and Morpeth Rural District, along with part of Castle Ward Rural Council's Morpeth Town Hall Board has given the go-ahead for work to begin on the second phase of the project, which involves upgrading the interior of the building. It includes converting the ground floor Butter Market into a multi-purpose venue complete with a glass entrance lobby within its refurbished historic fabric, extending and modernising the kitchens and installing a lighting and sound rig in the Corn Exchange corn exchange Noun a building where corn is bought and sold Noun 1. corn exchange - an exchange where grains are bought and sold exchange - a workplace for buying and selling; open only to members to increase its flexibility. The scheme also involves installing a lift to all floors of the building, adding external lighting to the front and towers and creating new meeting rooms at first and second floor levels. The Town Hall will be closed to the public from April 6 to 15 while asbestos is removed, before the main contract starts at the end of the month. The work is expected to be completed in time for the building to be fully functional by Christmas. Its importance to the town has been shown over the last six months when it has acted as a major emergency control centre following September's devastating flooding. Yesterday David Lodge David Lodge is the name of:
Castle Morpeth Council leader Peter Jackson said: "I am very proud of the fact that we have reached this stage in the development of the Town Hall. With the demise of the borough council this is one of our legacy projects, and we are sure this much-improved Town Hall facility will be here for the people of Morpeth and the surrounding area for many years to come." CAPTION(S): PROUD MAN Castle Morpeth Council leader Peter Jackson. |
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