Ivinghoe Town Hall Closed After Vehicle Rammed Into Building and Set on Fire

Ivinghoe Town Hall has been closed after a vehicle was reportedly rammed into the building and set on fire overnight.

Ivinghoe Parish Council said the incident happened on Sunday night and that police and the fire service are investigating.

The Town Hall will remain closed while those investigations take place and until the safety of the building has been established.

The Parish Council said: “Sadly last night the Town Hall was rammed by a vehicle which was set on fire.”

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: 
“We received a report of an attempted burglary at a Post Office in High Street, Ivinghoe, at around 3.28am today (10/8).

“A vehicle was used to damage the front of the premises before being set alight, causing damage to the building.

“No access was gained to the building and no arrests have been made at this time.

“An investigation is ongoing and we would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who has relevant information, CCTV, dash-cam or doorbell footage from the High Street area between 2.50am and 3.15am today.

“Anyone with information can contact Thames Valley Police by calling 101 or making a report online, quoting reference 43260412622.”

Aylesbury MP Laura Kyrke-Smith, extended offers of help to anyone affected in the community. 

"My thoughts are with everyone affected by the horrific incident at Ivinghoe Town Hall, and I want to thank everyone who is working to investigate the scene and ensure the building is safe.

I’ve been in touch with Ivinghoe Parish Council and others to offer my support."

Bucks Radio will provide further updates when more information becomes available.

Image: https://www.ivinghoetownhall.org.uk/

Ivinghoe Town Hall has a history stretching back more than 500 years, with the first recorded hall on the site dating to 1519.

The building and its predecessors have played many roles in village life. Ivinghoe became a market town after being granted a weekly market in 1319, and the site was later used as a market house, workhouse, police station and courthouse, as well as a meeting place for local organisations.

The Town Hall was rebuilt by the Brownlow Estate in the 1840s, with its distinctive timber-framed construction and herringbone brickwork. Historical records describe magistrates holding Petty Sessions there, while the building also incorporated police accommodation and cells.

Following the First World War, local residents raised money to buy the Town Hall back for the village. Its deeds were vested in Ivinghoe Parish Council in 1923.

After becoming increasingly unsafe during the 1950s and early 1960s, the building underwent major restoration and was subsequently registered as a charity. The Grade II listed Town Hall has continued to serve generations of residents as a venue for meetings, clubs, community groups and village events.

More than five centuries after a hall was first recorded on the site, it remains one of Ivinghoe's most important historic community buildings.