The first municipal building in the town was a medieval structure in the Market Place which was described latterly as "a small old house in bad repair".

[1] In the 17th century civic leaders decided to buy a house at The Hundred and to convert it for use as a town hall and as a lock-up for petty criminals.

[2] In 1736, the 1st Viscount Palmerston acquired Broadlands and thereby became lord of the manor:[2] it was in this building that he preferred to conduct his court business.

[6] It was designed by Alfred Bedborough in the Italianate style, built in red brick with stone dressings by a Mr Dallimore of Fareham at a cost of £3,000 and was officially opened by the then mayor, Christopher Legg Lordan, on 24 July 1866.

[6][7] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with three bays facing onto the Market Square; on the ground floor, there was a central round headed doorway with a fanlight which was flanked by two round headed sash windows separated by pilasters supporting a cornice.