CITY OF LONDONDERRY. 
The Corporation Hall stands in the centre of the Diamond on the site of the original town- 
house, erected by the London corporation in 1622, at the cost of 500 pounds. The military as 
well as civil character of that building will be seen from the annexed wood-cut, copied from 
the original drawing in Sir Thomas Phillips’s MS. 
The present town-house was built by the corporation in 1692, and until 1825 was called the 
market-house, or Exchange. Up to that period it was open below, and meal and potatoes were 
sold in it. , Over one of the arches the following inscription formerly existed:—“ His Majesty’s 
Exchange. It measures 120 feet by 45. The southern part, in which is the principal en- 
trance, is circular. r 
The upper story contains the common council-room, an assembly-room, which measures 75 
feet by 36 ; and an ante-chamber. The assembly-room is occasionally used for concerts, pub¬ 
lic exhibitions, and corporation dinners. In the lower story, now closed in, there is a news¬ 
room, established by the corporation in 1825, and a well appointed kitchen: on this new work 
is inscribed the date :—“ 1826.” 
This building formerly comprised the court-house, the exchange, the weigh-house, and a 
guard-room. 
The Court House possesses much architectural beauty. It exhibits a fa?ade, judiciously 
broken by a tetrastyle portico of the enriched Ionic order, modelled after that of the temple of 
Ereclitheus, at Athens. It measures 126 feet by 66. The tympan of the pediment is embel¬ 
lished with the royal arms in high relief, and the wings are surmounted by statues of justice 
and peace, executed in Portland stone by the late eminent Irish sculptor, Edward Smith. All 
the ornamental work is of the same, but the principal material is white sandstone, procured 
chiefly from the neighbourhood of Dungiven. 
The foundation was laid on the 18th of December, 1813, by John Curry, Esq. Mayor, 
and Sir George F. Hill, Bart.; and in 1817 the building was finished, at an expense of 
£30,479 15s., the purchase of ground and furniture included. The first assizes held in it were 
those of the summer of 1816. 
The design was furnished by Mr. John Bowden, who died before the work was finished, and 
the remainder was executed by Messrs. Henry, Mullins, and M'Mahon, pursuant to a commis¬ 
sion under the 52 George 3, c. 182. 
The principal apartments are the Crown and Record courts, the Mayor’s public and private 
office, the Record office, the Treasurer’s office, those of the clerks of the Crown and Peace, the 
Judges’ room, and the grand jury room. 
In the mayor’s private office are preserved two swords. One of these, which is inscribed 
“ Andrea Farara having probably been made by that celebrated sword-cutler, is erroneously 
