[1] The first municipal building in Downpatrick was a market house which was a gift to the town from Wingfield Cromwell, 2nd Earl of Ardglass and was completed in 1660.

[3][4] The new building was designed by William Batt in the Gothic Revival style, built in red brick by Dixon & Co. and completed in 1882.

[2] It was also used as an events venue and the singer, Gracie Fields, performed in the building during the Second World War.

[7] It was badly damaged in a fire in 1983 but was restored in 1984: it was then converted for use as the Down Arts Centre in 1989[8] and the local rock band, Ash, held one of their earliest performances there in the 1990s.

[9] The works, which were undertaken to a design by Kriterion Architects, included modernisation of the facilities as well as the creation of some additional creative space and were completed in June 2012.