The first town hall was a
medieval structure on the west side of the High Street at the corner with Church Street. The building, which was rebuilt in 1586, was arcaded on the ground floor so that markets could be held, with an assembly room on the first floor. The new building was designed in the
neoclassical style, built in
ashlar stone and was completed just in time for a visit by
King George III, accompanied by
Queen Charlotte, in July 1788. The original structure was a two-storey building set well back from the High Street with a
corn exchange in front. Three cells were created in the basement for use by the local police force in 1839, and a market hall was added in front of the original structure at around the same time. The building was altered again, to the designs of Medland and Son, in 1891. An Anglo-American garden of remembrance and riverside walk, intended to commemorate the lives of service personnel from both nations who had died in the
Second World War, was established behind the complex in 1962. The town hall continued to serve as the headquarters of Tewkesbury Municipal Borough Council for much of the 20th century but ceased being the local seat of government when the enlarged
Tewkesbury Borough Council was formed with new offices on Gloucester Road in 1974. The town hall then became the meeting place of Tewkesbury Town Council instead. Works of art in the town hall include a portrait by
Nathaniel Dance-Holland of Sir William Codrington, and a portrait by
George Romney of the local member of parliament,
James Martin. ==See also==