Wetherby Town Hall, Market Place. William THACKWRAY was baptised in St.James Chapel, Wetherby. The current parish church of St.James only dates from 1842, but the history of the former chapel can be seen here. Wetherby's first town hall occupied the same site on the Market Place. It was a small plain building with little decoration, a clock on the front and bell tower. Its northern side had an external staircase to the first floor where civic and county court functions were carried out. The ground floor contained the town gaol and outside were the town stocks. It was demolished in 1845. Adjacent to the old town hall was the Market Place Chapel, a chapel of ease to the parish church in Spofforth, built in 1763. It was damaged in a fire in 1823 and became increasingly dilapidated. It is this chapel, later demolished, where William THACKWRAY would have been baptised. The Black Bull was another of Wetherby's ancient hostelries, doubtless full on market days.

Photo by Rod Mackay.