Built in 1869-71, the town hall and market hall is constucted of Old Red Sandstone with Bath limestone ashlar dressings and natural slate roofs. It was designed as a multi-purpose one to provide municipal offices and a council chamber, a general market, an assembly room, the corn exchange and the poor law offices. The style is rural Early French Gothic, but with some Italian touches. The building has three storeys, five windows to Cross Street and three windows to Market Street with a tall clock tower on the corner. The tower clock was presented by Crawshay Bailey of Maindiff Court and is inscribed 'Gilbert and Bland, Croydon 1871'. The northern clock face is said to have been painted black to commemorate the death of Prince Albert, but he died in 1862.

The market hall projects across the whole rear and has two gabled roofs. The main roof is supported by two lines of six very tall cast iron posts which support wrought iron Warren girder rafters carrying light wrought iron purlins running the length of the roof; the apex is glazed. The assembly room, now the Borough Theatre, has an open roof with very large and elaborate pine trusses with Gothic decoration and a decorated balcony front. It was converted to a theatre in 1906 when it accommodated 600, but it now seats 250. It was modernised in 1996.

Reference: Cadw listed buildings database.

RCAHMW, February 2011