[1] The first municipal building in Hawkshead was a structure known as the shambles which accommodated a series of butchers' stalls and dated back at least to the early 17th century.

[2] By the late 18th century the shambles was dilapidated and the Rector of St Michael and All Angels Church, Reginald Braithwaite, and the headmaster of the local grammar school, Thomas Bowman, launched an initiative to commission a more substantial structure.

[3] The new building was designed by Francis Webster, under guidance from John Carr, in the Italianate style, built in brick with a whitewash finish and was completed in 1790.

He wrote that when he returned to Hawkshead, "a grey stone of native rock…was split and gone to build a smart assembly room that perked and flared".

[10] Following an extensive programme of refurbishment works, which included the installation of new kitchen facilities on the ground floor, the building was re-opened by the comedian, Victoria Wood, as part of the celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012.