The current building was commissioned to replace an earlier
tolbooth which dated back to the late 13th century. The tolbooth was rebuilt in the late 16th century, and again in 1669. The tolbooth was demolished in 1750 in order the facilitate the construction of the eastern end of the current building. The construction of the new building, which was undertaken by local builder, Joseph Dodds, began at the western end in 1754. A
belfry and
clock tower with a
weather vane, designed in a similar design to
St Martin-in-the-Fields, towered above the portico. Internally, the principal room was the assembly hall on the first floor: it featured a
Venetian window at the east end The basement storey was largely taken up by shops, and in the open space under the east end of the hall a weekly egg and butter market was held. As part of the refurbishment a new clock was provided by
Charles Potts in 1947, which sounds the
Westminster Quarters on the bells.
Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the
Duke of Edinburgh, toured the restored building with Richardson on 10 July 1956. The town hall served as the meeting place of
Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council until it was abolished in April 2009 and subsequently became the meeting place of
Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council. Works of art in the town hall include a portrait of Robert Home, who served as town clerk in the mid 19th century, by the former President of the
Royal Scottish Academy,
Daniel Macnee. Berwick-Upon-Tweed , Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 6653569.jpg|Eastern end Berwick-Upon-Tweed, The Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 8123823.jpg|Portico Berwick Town Hall 2.jpg|The tower at sunset ==Bells==