The Town Hall

Drawing of the Old Town Hall

The old Town Hall, a picturesque, half-timbered early 16th century building, had become so seriously decayed and dilapidated, that it was considered unsafe to hold assemblies there, and it was demolished in 1839 and the present Town Hall erected on the site. Several early Roman coins and other relics of that period were discovered beneath the foundations. During some earlier excavations in the vicinity of the Town Hall great quantities of glass fragments and several ancient melting-pots were discovered and seemingly a glass manufactory had once existed there for there is a reference to 'Flint Glass' in old records. The new building was completed in 1840 at a total cost of £1,734.8.6, and the first meeting of the Town Council was held there on 10 February 1840. The money was raised by subscription.

Drawing of the New Town Hall

The Town Hall in Flint is a splendid and imposing building in the Tudor-Gothic style at the very centre of the town. The architect responsible for the design was Mr. John Welsh. It is built of sandstone on two storeys, forming a rectangular gabled structure flanked at both ends by octagonal embattled turrets and has a balcony. In 1885-6, six of the windows in the council chamber were filled with stained glass, designed by Mr Drewitt, and presented by various donors as memorials to some former mayors and town clerks of the borough. The windows also display in succession the Coat of Arms of the Kings and Queens who granted the borough its six charters. The building contains many items of interest. These include: valuable portraits of past Mayors: a portrait of King Richard II copied by Leonard Hughes in 1885, a Flintshire artist. The original of which hangs in Westminster Abbey. The walls are lined with many interesting pictures of Old Flint, and pictures of past Mayors and Councils. A copy of the towns first charter, granted in 1284 by Edward I , hangs in the main council chamber. The roof of the chamber contains timbers from the old Town Hall. The original Common Seal of the Borough was dated 1458. The present Borough Seal was devised by George Roskell and James Eyton and adopted on 9 November 1836.

The fine painted ceiling in the Mayor's Chamber was presented by Mr. Ross Mahon, a burgess of the town. The artist was Mr. Joseph Hall, a Town Councillor. It contains fifteen panels, representing the armorial bearings of the fifteen ancient royal tribes of North Wales. The civic plate includes the silver mace which is 27 inches in length and the shaft is divided into two lengths by a central knob, the foot knob being globular; the head, which is cup shaped and perfectly plain, is surrounded by a scalloped circlet or cresting, rising from which are plain and narrow flattened arches, forming a crown, and surmounted by a simple knob. On the flat top of the head are the royal arms of William and Mary. Also in 1876 a silver Loving Cup was presented by P. Ellis Eyton, the MP for Flintshire. It has three scroll handles, and bears the device of the borough on a shield, and over it an inscription. Mrs. Richard Muspratt presented the Mayor's Chain to the town in 1875, an ornate replica in gold of an Etruscan original in the Vatican Museum and the work of Signore Neri, a goldsmith of Rome. It consists of 12 medallions, each charged with a six-foiled flower, and alternating with square panelled links. A pendant attached to the chain, bears on the obverse side a miniature of the Corporation Seal worked in fine mosaic. The mayoress' chain was presented in 1939 by Councillor DHJ Wray (Mayor), Alderman GA Chadwick and J Bibby Denny (Town Clerk). When the original Muspratt chain became fragile and broke on several occasions the decision was made to commission a second Mayoral Chain of Office. A fund was set up in memory of the son of Councillor and Mrs. Ted Evans who died in action during the Gulf War, to purchase the second Mayoral Chain. The chain is made from sterling silver gilt with fine links alternated with shields and oblong bar ends. It is fitted with a ribbon collerette that has joining rings and chain fittings. The oval shaped enamel pendant carries the Coat of Arms of Flint. The Chain was made by Thomas Farrorini of Birmingham in 1992 who had also made the Mayoress' Badge of Office in 1938. The old chain is still used for special occasions but for normal meetings the new chain is used. The mayor wears a scarlet robe trimmed with sables on ceremonial occasions. On the 23rd August 1947 the Borough conferred the Freedom of the Borough of Flint on the 384th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (R.W.F.) T.A. which gave to the Regiment the title, honour and distinction of marching through the streets of the town on all ceremonial occasions with colours flying, drums beating, and bayonets fixed. They exercised this freedom in 1969 when they marched through the town.

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Ceiling	Parlour	Parlour	Chamber ceiling	Chamber	Chamber

Chamber	Chamber	Chamber	Chamber	Tablet	Tablet