Description:The original Town Hall is situated in Grove Lane, some 100 yds below the Grove Tavern. It is of plain domestic architecture of the sixteenth century community of Handsworth, when it was a mere village. The hall has been used as a workhouse, a lock-up and a parish office, for at least a century and a half. Described in 1709 as a messuage, and tenement, known as the Town Hall.
The 3 cottages which constituted the Old Town Hall were scheduled for demolition under a slum-clearance order about 15 yrs ago. To prevent this the Birmingham Archaeological Society purchased the building and restored it. Restoration consisted of complete gutting - leaving only timber-framework. Around this, the building was reconstructed using original materials as far as possible. It was converted to 2 cottages and given to Birmingham City Council. The oldest part of the building is said to date from before 1500. The house has been much altered, for example the chimney stack and brick filling date from c 1625. The crucks are prominent features of the East and West walls. In other walls timber framework is partially exposed.
Handsworth Old Town Hall was modernised and reconstructed in 1947 to form 2 dwellings. Timber-framed with exposed
crucks on the returns; brick infill, tile roof, half hipped at the right. One storey plus attic. Two ledged doors. Fenestration by casements, 3 large and 2 small on the ground floor, 4 gabled dormers in the roof.