The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-01 00:00:00

THE. LIVERPOOL TOWN-HALL

This princely structure was founded in 1749. It is of a
square form, with four fronts, and immediately behind are
the Exchange Buildings, forming three sides of extensive
square known as " the Exchange," of which the north front
of the Town-hall forms the other. The interior of the
building is too well known to require description here ; but
it may be stated that, though one of the oldest, as a public
structure of magnitude, it is still, as a whole, perhaps the
handsomest yet extant. The dome, which rises to a great
height from the centre of the pile, and is surmounted by a
colossal figure of Britannia, seated and holding a trident, is
a striking and beautiful object, by no means eclipsed by the
heavier and somewhat similar overtopment of the new Cus-
tom-house at the other extremity of the same street. The
order is Corinthian, of the embellished or florid style, and
the architect was the celebrated Sir Christopher Wren. At
the principal or south entrance there is a handsome portico,
surmounted by .a pediment, and rising the full height of the
building.

THE GRAND STAIR CASE.
This is considered one of the finest in the kingdom. It is
covered by the dome, aud is lighted from a large window in the
perpendicular portion of that erection. The height from' the
floor below to the interior top of the copula is 106 feet. The
stairs rise from the Centre below to a half story landing, and
thence turn right and left, leaving room for a spacious landing-
place, and galleries round three parts of the square above, from
which doors leiul into the several rooms forming the circuit
or suite. Round the interior base of the dome there are a
number of frosted gas-lamps. The railings are of a handsome
Grecian pattern, topped with burnished brass, and froin the
banastres rise eight slender illars bearing, gas.lamps. The.
whole is spacious, and reverberates the sound of the musical
band stationed at balls in one of the galleries.

THE DINING ROOM.
These occupy the whole of the south front above, and are
three in number. They are on theSe occasions thrown, as it
were into one by the removal of lgrgefolding doors. The
length of the three is 96 feet. The roofs form &segment of
a Circle, divided into small and rich compartments, with
ornamental moulding and-castings in relief, gilded on alight'
green. The roof of the centre room is what is called pen-
dentive. The furniture is superb. SofaS are fitted into
semicircular recesses, and these as well as the- couches and
chairs RrE of 'elegant gteen pattern. ' The tables are of cor'..;
responding taste, andrfhe grates and other, articles in "the
fire depaitinent!! are rich and curious. The chimney pieces
are of pure Parisian marble. Here there -are full lentil
'portraits of several of our late MoriarelA, of the royal dukes,
&c. The window curtains are of satin daMask, pending from
massy gilded,cornices, From-the centre-of each of the rooms
hangs a massy chandelier,'richly ornamented with crystal''The chimney pieces at each end of these kown§fiwe each
other, and over each :is ;.a .magnificent mirror, the optical
effect of which in enlarging the picture on occasion of a
public festivity isadtnlsr mabAlez
THE i, BALL ROOM.

This room adjoins the eastern drawing-room, and is •used.
on occasions when the May Or's company is not very n
•
rpus, in place df the large': or assembly-room. .It is 06194,,,
rounded at the corners. The walls•,are .decorated
nelled pilasters of Carniola, with ornaments in reliel..;The••
roof is coved or arched, and enriched by ornamental sqla'res.:;
The mouldings are white,uppn a tint or light ground.. • Th.e:
folding-doors• are at: each end, •and on each side of one. of
them are two neat orchestras, in recesses, with cockle.4lell
roofs. The chimney-pieces, of white marble, are of neat ,de.-
sign. The room is lighted (at night) by three hAndsorneH
chandeliers.