Swanage in Dorset, or ‘Little London on Sea’ as it’s sometimes nicknamed due to all its old monuments and artefacts salvaged from the capital, played host to the Lady Mayor of London Dame Susan Langley.
On hand to welcome the Lady Mayor of London to the Swanage Town Hall on Saturday 6th June 2026, was Swanage town mayor Chris Tomes and the deputy mayor Sarah Vile.
Outside Swanage Town Hall (left to right) Swanage deputy mayor Sarah Vile, Lady Mayor of London Dame Susan Langley, Swanage town mayor Chris Tomes, and Master Mercer Alice Hohler
Town hall facade originally part of Mercers’ Hall
Also accompanying the Lady Mayor was Master Mercer Alice Hohler of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, a livery company of the City of London, who was delighted to inspect the elaborate facade of the Swanage Town Hall which was originally constructed for the Mercers’ Hall on Cheapside in 1670.
The town hall was built by wealthy Swanage resident George Burt in 1882/3. He was the son of a local quarryman who had made his money in London working in the construction industry for his uncle John Mowlem.
When the Mercers’ Hall was refurbished during the period of 1877 to 1881, George Burt brought the porch of the 1676 building and incorporated it into the facade of Swanage Town Hall, which was originally known as King Alfred Hall.
Along with other artefacts like the Wellington clock tower, statues, lamposts, and numerous street bollards which were being discarded during the Victorian redevelopment of London, George Burt brought the items back from the City as ballast on ships which were returning to Swanage having delivered their load of Purbeck stone.
Other statues from the Mercers’ Hall did not make the journey to Swanage, some being incorporated in the new Mercers’ Hall which was sadly destroyed by fire during World War Two in the Blitz in May 1941.
George Burt had many links to the City of London and was a member of the Glass-sellers, Shipwrights, Farriers’, Paviors’ and Gardeners’ Companies. He was a Master of the Glass-sellers three times and also served as senior Sheriff of London and Middlesex from 1878 to 9.
This is not the first time a Lord or Lady Mayor of London has visited Swanage, as George Burt welcomed The Lord Mayor of London Sir William McArthur in 1880.
More than 170 Masters and consorts from the City of London accompanied the Lady Mayor on the trip
Swanage town crier Andrew Fleming welcomed the Lady Mayor with all the pomp and ceremony befitting such an important visitor
“We couldn’t miss out on visiting Swanage!”
Accompanying the Lady Mayor of London and the Mercers Master, were more than 170 Masters and consorts who were spending a weekend in Dorset.
Before visiting Swanage, they had stopped off at The Tank Museum in Bovington, followed by lunch at a Purbeck cider farm.
The Lady Mayor of London Dame Susan Langley, who attended Southampton University and enjoyed returning to the South Coast, said:
“We were visiting the area to celebrate the fellowship of the livery and we couldn’t miss out on visiting Swanage!
“The town hall facade was fascinating to see and shows the strong ties between the City and Swanage.”
In the Swanage town hall council chamber, the bust of George Burt in the fireplace oversees the visit
The Lady Mayor of London, the third woman to take on the role but the first to style herself as a Lady rather than a Lord, with Swanage town mayor Chris Tomes (right)
“Part of their history as well as ours”
After a tour of the council chamber, the party made it back to Swanage station where they caught a Swanage Railway train to Corfe Castle.
Speaking after the event, Swanage town mayor Chris Tomes said:
“It was lovely for the Lady Mayor of London and the rest of the group to come down to Swanage. It really does remind us of our history of Purbeck stone and the links to London.
“It was good to see how much they admired our town hall and how the stone frontage was valued as part of their history, as well as ours.
“Our Victorian heritage has really shaped our community and so it is very appropriate that the party is now taking a trip on the railway as over the years, it has brought so many Londoners down to visit our seaside town.”
The Mercers’ Hall in Cheapside with the original 1670 facade
Swanage Town Hall with the 17th century facade which will require restoration work in the near future to keep it looking good and preserve it for future generations
Further information
- More about the history of Swanage Town Hall
- Background on The Lady Mayor of London and The Mercers’ Company
After the visit to the town hall, the party headed off to Corfe Castle on a heritage loco from Swanage station
