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Guildhall
Neuadd y Dref (Welsh)
The building's main entrance, fronting Llwyn Isaf field.
General information
Architectural style	Red brick and Neo-Georgian
Address	The Guildhall, Wrexham LL11 1AY
Coordinates	53°02′51″N 2°59′38″W / 53.04747°N 2.99387°W / 53.04747; -2.99387
Construction started	1959
Construction stopped	1961
Opened	25 May 1961
Renovated	1980−1981
Owner	Wrexham Borough Council (1961–1974) Wrexham Maelor Borough Council (1974–1996) Wrexham County Borough Council (1996–)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Stephenson, Young & Partners

The Guildhall (Welsh: Neuadd y Dref; lit. 'Town Hall') is a municipal building in Wrexham, Wales. It is located in the city centre alongside the Llwyn Isaf open space. It is the headquarters of Wrexham County Borough Council and is the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough, as it was of its predecessor Wrexham Maelor.

Architecture and history

The Guildhall is located on the grounds where the mansion house Ypsytty (or Ysbyty) Ucha (Welsh for 'Upper Hospital') once stood, first recorded to be located here by 1700. The house later became known as Llwyn Isaf, whose name survives as the name of the field in front of the Guildhall. The house was purchased by the council in the early 1950s, and subsequently demolished to construct the modern Guildhall. The Guildhall's construction faced some opposition over fears its construction would lead to the destruction of the Llwyn Isaf field. There were earlier proposals after World War II to surface the area with tarmac and construct a bus station on the site instead.

The current building was commissioned to replace the Old Guildhall in what was Guildhall Square, between Henblas Street and Lambpit Street. The new building was built between 1959 and 1961 and was opened by Princess Alexandra on 25 May 1961.

The building is in the Neo-Georgian style, to a design modelled on Stockholm City Hall by the architects Stephenson, Young & Partners. It has a red brick façade with three storeys of Georgian arched windows, a cantilevered gallery towards Llwyn Isaf, and a copper tower. The building cost £150,000 (equivalent to £3.7 million in 2023). It is surrounded with flowerbeds that have been described as a "notable addition to the amenities of the town". The frontage was modified in 2018 as a security measure, blocking off the front stairs but maintaining two ramps either side of the front of the building. It was partly extended between 1980 and 1981.

Political activity

In October 2011, it held a meeting of the Welsh Grand Committee of the House of Commons, the first to be held in Wales for 10 years.

As the centre of local government in Wrexham, protests and political rallies have been held outside the building, including a 2021 protest against the council's application for city status and a 2022 rally for Welsh independence.

Other uses

Ceremonies for appointing mayors of Wrexham are held in the building, as are other ceremonies such as for awarding the title "Freeman of Wrexham". The Guildhall is used as a wedding venue, and is lit up to mark special occasions. For a few months in 2023, it housed Contact Wrexham, the council's in-person support office.

References

1. Miller, Jan (2005). A Country Diary for North Wales. Troubador Publishing. p. 102. ISBN 9781905237357.
2. Mann, Petra (23 January 2014). "Sale of school playing fields to make money for cash-strapped Wrexham Council labelled 'outrageous'". North Wales Live. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
3. "No. 46366". The London Gazette. 8 October 1974. p. 8559.
4. "No. 54317". The London Gazette. 15 February 1996. p. 2349.
5. "Wrexham Town Walk : Llwyn Isaf". Wrexham County Borough Council. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012.
6. ^ Ebsworth, David (2023). Wrexham Revealed: A Walking Tour with Tales of the City’s History. Compact Cymru. Wrexham Carnival of Words. Carreg Gwalch. ISBN 9781845245245.
7. "A History of the Bomb site – "Wrexham History"". Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
8. "Guildhall, Llwyn Isaf, Wrexham, North Wales". www.richardkingsystems.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
9. Hatherley, Owen (7 April 2022). Modern Buildings in Britain: A Gazetteer. Penguin UK. ISBN 9780141998312. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
10. ^ "Guildhall, Queen Street (23380)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
11. United Kingdom Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth "consistent series" supplied in Thomas, Ryland; Williamson, Samuel H. (2024). "What Was the U.K. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
12. "Historic Old Library building on Queen's Square to be sold off by Wrexham Council". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
13. "New Guildhall frontage a 'security measure' and to reduce anti-social behaviour". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
14. Live, North Wales (20 October 2011). "MPs clash over employment policies at Welsh Grand Committee meeting in Wrexham". North Wales Live. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
15. "Welsh Grand Committee To Meet In Wrexham". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
16. "Wrexham's city status bid plan opposed by protesters". BBC News. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
17. "Rally against city status bid to be held on Saturday". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
18. "Welsh independence: Thousands march through Wrexham". BBC News. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
19. "Wrexham Mayor Unveiled At Guildhall Ceremony". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
20. "Rob and Ryan set for Freedom of City award at Civic ceremony in Guildhall on Monday". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
21. "Daughter 25 minutes late for mum's wedding in Wrexham due to parking chaos". The Leader. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
22. • "Wrexham's Guildhall to light up yellow and blue for people of Ukraine". The Leader. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
    • "Wrexham's Guildhall to be lit-up to mark third anniversary of coronavirus lockdown". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
    • "Wrexham's Guildhall to turn blue to mark Emergency Services Day". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
23. "Contact Wrexham to move from Lord Street from next week". The Leader. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2023.

v t e Wrexham County Borough
Wrexham County Borough Council
Principal settlements	Chirk Wrexham (Built-up area)
Communities	Abenbury Acton Bangor-on-Dee Bronington Broughton Brymbo Caia Park Cefn Ceiriog Ucha Chirk Coedpoeth Erbistock Esclusham Glyntraian Gresford Gwersyllt Hanmer Holt Isycoed Llangollen Rural Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog Llay Maelor South Marchwiel Minera Offa Overton Pen-y-cae Rhosddu Rhosllanerchrugog Rossett Ruabon Sesswick Willington Worthenbury
Other villages and areas	Aberoer Acrefair Arowry Bersham Bettisfield Borras Borras Park Bowling Bank Bradley Bryn Offa Brynteg Burton Bwlchgwyn Caego Cefn Mawr Ceiriog Valley Chapel Street Charles Street Chester Street Church Street College Street Cross Lanes Fairy Road Froncysyllte Garden Village Grosvenor Road Grove Road Glyn Ceiriog Gwynfryn Halghton Hightown Horseman's Green Island Green Johnstown Knolton Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog Llan-y-pwll Llwyneinion Llwynmawr Maelor Maelor Saesneg Marford Moss Newbridge New Brighton New Broughton Pandy (Ceiriog) Pandy (Gwersyllt) Pant Penley Pentre Broughton Pentre Bychan Pentre Maelor Plas Coch Plas Madoc Ponciau Pontfadog Queen's Square Rhosnesni Rhosrobin Rhostyllen Rhosymedre Ridleywood Salisbury Park/Road Southsea Stansty Summerhill Sydallt Tanyfron Temple Row Tregeiriog Trevor Tybroughton Wrexham Industrial Estate Wrexham City Centre Whitewell
Universities and colleges	Coleg Cambria (Yale College) Wrexham University School of Healthcare Sciences, Bangor University
Buildings and structures	2 Grosvenor Road Abbotsfield All Saints' Church, Gresford Bangor-on-Dee Bridge Bangor-on-Dee racecourse Bersham Ironworks Bridge End Inn Brynkinalt Hall Butchers' Market Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows Cefn Viaduct Central Arcade Chirk Aqueduct Chirk Viaduct Chirk War Memorial County Buildings Croesnewydd Hall Eagles Meadow Elephant and Castle Erddig Feathers Hotel The Gelli Halghton Hall Hightown Barracks HM Prison Berwyn Horse and Jockey Holt Bridge General Market Gresford Methodist Church Grosvenor Lodge Grove Park School Iscoyd Park Marchwiel Hall Nags Head (Wrexham) Offa's Dyke (part) Old Carnegie Library Old Wrexham Infirmary Overton Arcade Pant-yr-Ochain Pen-y-Lan Hall Pont Cysyllte Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Poyser Street drill hall Rossett Presbyterian Chapel Racecourse Ground Rossett Hall Saith Seren Soames Brewery Chimney St David's Welsh Church St Deiniol's Church St Giles' Church St Mary's Church (Chirk) St Mary's Church (Ruabon) The Midland Talbot Hotel Trevalyn Hall Trinity Presbyterian Church Tudor Court Turf Hotel Tŷ Pawb Wat's Dyke (part) Waking the Dragon (proposed) War Memorial Hospital Waterworld Wrexham bus station Wrexham Cemetery Wrexham Lager Brewery Wrexham Library Wrexham Guildhall Wrexham Maelor Hospital Wrexham Police Station (1973–2020) Wynn Hall Wynnstay Wynnstay Arms (Ruabon) Wynnstay Arms (Wrexham) Xplore! Castles Chirk Castle Holt Castle The Rofft (former)
Geography	Berwyn range Ceiriog Valley Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Clywedog Trail Craig Berwyn Esclusham Mountain Fenn's Moss Nant-y-Ffrith Ruabon Moors Rivers Alyn Cegidog Ceiriog Clywedog Dee Eitha Gwenfro Nant-y-Ffrith Wych Brook Reservoirs and lakes Acton Park Lake Cae Llwyd Reservoir Chirk Castle Lake Fenn's Bank Mere Gresford Flash Hanmer Mere Llyn Bedydd Monk's Pool Pant-yr-ochain Lake Penycae Top Reservoir Ty Mawr Reservoir Wynnstay Park Lake
Transport	Wrexham bus station A5 road A483 road A525 road A528 road A541 road B5101 road Chester and Wrexham Turnpike (former) Llangollen Canal Trevor Basin Wrexham & Shropshire (former) North Wales Metro (part) Railway lines Borderlands line Shrewsbury to Chester line Former lines Glyn Valley Tramway (re-opening proposed) Moss Valley Branch Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway Wrexham and Minera Railway Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway Croes Newydd (former) Former stations Railway stations Chirk railway station Gwersyllt railway station Ruabon railway station Wrexham Central railway station Wrexham General railway station Proposed stations Wrexham North railway station Wrexham South railway station
Media and events	Calon FM Capital North West and North Wales Heart North Wales Capital Cymru (some broadcasts) Smooth Wales (some broadcasts) MuxCo (radio operator) Wrexham-Rhos transmitting station Marcher Radio Group (former) BBC Cymru Wales (local studios) The Leader newspaper Wales Comic Con (2008–2019; 2022) Focus Wales Eisteddfoddau 1876 1888 1912 1933 1945 1961 1977 2011 2025
Topics	Parliamentary constituencies Schools City parks and open spaces Council elections electoral wards SSSIs Country houses Listed buildings Grade I Grade II* Grade II Scheduled monuments Listed parks and gardens History Former RAF Wrexham Lord Lieutenants High Sheriffs Mayor Museums Museum Archives National Football Museum Wrexham Library Wrexham Guildhall Public art Wrexham Art School Wrexham A.F.C. Women Wrexham RFC
Preserved county of Clwyd Historic counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire

• Buildings and structures in Wrexham
• City and town halls in Wales
• Government buildings completed in 1961
• 1961 establishments in Wales
• Politics of Wrexham
• County halls in Wales