The Woodville (once known as The Woodville Halls) was officially opened on Friday, November 15 1968, by Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Kent. The concept behind the design was to provide a focal public space between Wrotham Road and Windmill Street.
Designed by architects H.T Cadbury-Brown and Partners, who were followers of the modernist school of architecture and heavily influenced by the work of Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier, the building was state of the art at the time.
The building’s versatile design and operation far outweighed other nearby venues. It was intended to be multi-purpose and able to accommodate a mix of events such as dinner dances, wrestling, boxing, theatre shows and ballroom dancing.
It is fair to say that over the decades the theatre has seen many a famous face perform and a huge variety of entertainment acts. From the traditions of Pantomime to the beauty of the ballet, The Woodville has staged them all.
The Woodville sits contentedly on The Community Square, which is a large space used for cultural and community events, including outdoor concerts and theatre.
