Not so much a Wassat as a Whereisit?

Sue, on "No Problem" has a series running on her blog called "Winter Wassats?" where readers are invited to guess the mystery object of which only a part in shown on the photo.

This isn't a "wassat?"  but it could be a "whereisit?"

Here it is

Is it:

A) The seat of government of a major European city?

B)  or of a small European country?

or perhaps  
C)  A State Governor's Residence in the USA?

No - it's none of the above.

It's the town hall in Warrington, Cheshire  (although in Lancashire when it was built!)

Municipal pride in northern towns and cities was obviously far greater then. Imagine the response if any local council tried to build offices as grand as that these days. They'd be crucified for "wasting taxpayers' money" and promptly voted out of office at the next election.

In fairness to the Warrington Council of the time they didn't actually build it. That was done by a local businessman and the council bought it 130 years later, reportedly for £9,000. They did add the railings and gates though.