[2] After the local businessman, William Courtauld, declared that he would pay for a bespoke town hall, civic leaders decided to procure a new building: the site selected had previously formed part of a piece of open land known as Fairfield.

[2][6] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing onto the Market Square; the central section featured a portico with Doric order columns supporting a balustrade with urns at the corners; there were sash windows on the first floor and, at roof level, there was a turret bearing the town's coat of arms and containing a clock made by Gillett & Johnston; it was topped with a dome and a female figure at its apex.

[1] The scenes depicted included the Roman Army marching through Braintree during the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, the Viking victory at the Battle of Maldon in 991, King John presenting the town's charter to the Bishop of London, Richard FitzNeal, in 1190, the burning at the stake of William Pygot in 1555, the introduction of new weaving techniques by Flemish immigrants in 1570 and the sailing of Braintree emigrants on the Lyon's Whelp for the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1632.

[1] The stained glass window on the staircase, which depicted a female figure holding the town's coat of arms, was designed by George Kruger Gray.

[10] A tourist information centre was also established in the building[11] and, following an extensive programme of refurbishment works completed in April 2012,[12] it also became a local venue for weddings and civil partnerships.