The Milton Rooms

The Milton Rooms lies in the heart of the Malton Conservation Area which was designated in 1975. The site was largely an open space in the late 1720s, until local landowners, the Fitzwilliam Family, had a series of buildings built for the benefit of the residents of Malton and Norton, as a means of securing their political stature, and easing the political unrest the family faced at the time. The buildings included The Subscription Rooms, the Masonic Camalodunum Lodge and a Theatre, which was later converted into a Mechanics Hall and Reading Room in 1839 and then demolished in 1930. The Milton Rooms was in 1931 built on the former site of the original theatre, and the remaining buildings together play a huge part in community life, being the centre of community activity and for staging the performances of various societies.

The Milton Rooms is a two-storey orange-red brick building, with stone ashlar dressings in English Bond and with an attic gabled front. It boasts grand pre-cast square concrete columns in the entrance portico, within which there are three pairs of panelled double doors in chamfered architraves. Three tall windows are grouped above, in the centre of the first floor, in raised surrounds. The centre window incorporates glazed double doors which open on to the balcony formed by the portico roof.

The interior features are also mainly complete. Two sweeping stone staircases at each end of the foyer, with wrought-iron balustrades and serpentine moulded handrails descend from the balcony to the basement. Inner double doors in panelled reveals, lead through to the Hall, with its rectangular proscenium arch stage, and a coffered leather ceiling with diamond lattice art deco style lighting.

The Milton Rooms comprises of a mix of various spaces, used for different purposes. The Milton Room itself is the main space for events, with a balcony and a capacity for 250 people. There is also a 40 seat studio theatre/acoustic music room called the Fitzwilliam Room. Front of house facilities include a bar area. The Assemble Room which sits over the two Parish rooms is at the rear of the Milton Rooms, and the Masonic Lodge, which is still in use today, is below the Milton Room and the bar.

Plans to redevelop the Milton Rooms are ongoing. A multimillion pound project is proposed to help save the important redundant historic sites in Malton and secure more sustainable uses that will benefit the community. With support from the Prince’s Regeneration Trust, Ryedale District Council is working towards securing funds for the ongoing projects to establish the Milton Rooms as a landmark arts and community centre. Plans for the Milton Rooms include installing the largest sprung dancefloor in North Yorkshire, turning the Georgian Assembly Room into a rehearsal room and exhibition space, and renovating the Parish Rooms to provide resident Artist’s studios.