Wem Town Hall

Wem Town Hall stands in the market town of Wem in Shropshire. The red-brick building was completed in 1905 and once housed a cinema run by the Cheshire Animated Picture Company. In 1934 an AWH Sound System, named after its inventor Arthur William Harris, was installed. The interior was gutted by fire in November 1995, leaving only the Edwardian façade standing. After rebuilding, the hall reopened in 2000 as a community arts centre. The fire became famous for a photograph taken by amateur photographer Tony O’Rahilly. His picture seemed to show a girl in the burning doorway, fuelling stories of Jane Churm, a girl accused of starting a fire in 1677. The image was later shown to be a fake when the source was traced to a 1922 postcard. Investigations by the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena and others confirmed the photograph had been altered. Visitors now find a rebuilt hall used for concerts, films, stage shows and exhibitions. The old façade remains, while the interior is modern and functional. The story of the ghost girl photograph is still told, adding a layer of local legend. The town’s arts scene thrives in this space, keeping the building’s role alive.