[3][4] They then decided to commission a new civic building, which was financed by public subscription, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria; the site they selected was on the west side of the Market Square.

[5] The new building was designed by John Johnson in the Renaissance Revival style, built by Bennett Brothers in yellow brick and brown carrstone at a cost of £1,730 and was officially opened by the member of parliament, William Tyssen-Amherst, on 20 October 1887.

[9] The local literary institute, which had been established in 1865 following a gift by Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby, occupied the library and reading room following completion of the town hall.

[12] Downham Market Town Council took over management of the building in 2008 and carried out a programme of refurbishment works, which included the installation of a lift, in 2013.

[13] The Downham Market Heritage Centre, which had been established as a local history museum on the first floor of the town hall in the early 21st century,[14] rapidly outgrew its accommodation and relocated to the old fire station in Priory Road in March 2016.