After significant population growth associated with the increasing number of cotton mills in the area, a local board of health was appointed to manage public services in the town in 1864.

[1] In this context the local board decided to procure some municipal offices:[2] the site they chose had previously been open land on the north west side of the Long Preston trust road (now Scotland Road).

[3] The new building was designed by Alfred Waterhouse[4] in the Renaissance style with Gothic features, built in ashlar stone and was completed in 1881.

There were rounded headed windows on the first floor with stone surrounds flanked by pilasters with prominent mansard roofs at the corners.

[6] An hour bell, designed and cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough, was installed in the town hall in 1904.