A view of Liverpool's third Town Hall at the time when Castle Street was being widened. The foundation of the third Town Hall, designed by John Wood of Bath, was laid in 1749. It was opened in 1754. The ground floor beneath the arches was used by merchants for their Exchange. The upper apartments were handsomely furnished for civic purposes. In 1795 the interior and roof were destroyed by fire although the main walls were left largely undamaged. By 1797, the building had been restored after which a number of alterations and additions were made. A new Exchange, the largest in England, was built for the merchants on land behing the Town Hall.