The town hall, which was the headquarters of Banbury Borough Council from its completion in 1854 until 1930, is a Grade II listed building.

[3] It was replaced by a second town hall, constructed in timber, in the Market Place in around 1633 and followed by a third, more substantial structure, on the same site as the second building, in around 1790.

[4] After the anti-reformist, Heneage Legge was elected member of parliament for Banbury in November 1819 by the members of Banbury Corporation, who were the only people allowed to vote, there was rioting in the town centre: the windows in the town hall were broken and attempts were made to tear down the pillars supporting the first floor of the building.

[3][a] The new building, which was designed by Edward George Bruton in the Gothic Revival style and built by Chesterman Brothers of Abingdon, was completed in October 1854.

[13] There are also portraits of Prince Rupert of the Rhine by Johannes Mytens[14] and of the parliamentarian, John Hampden, by Godfrey Kneller.