Former Rural District Council Offices

The former Rural District Council Offices, built around 1910, is a two-storey building designed in the Renaissance style. It features red brick with stone dressings. The central block projects and has five casement windows set within moulded stone architraves, with oval windows above that include keyblocks. The ground floor windows alternate between segmental and triangular pediments, each situated above a pulvinated frieze. The building has quoins at all corners and a central doorway framed by a semi-circular arched rusticated surround. This doorway is accentuated by a Gibbs style rusticated column portico, which is topped with a pulvinated frieze that has a segmental pediment enclosing strapwork cartouche and coat of arms. Additional architectural details include a rusticated plinth, a sill band, a plain frieze, a modillion eaves cornice, and an open balustrade. The wings on either side are set back and each has two windows. The building is part of a group that includes Nos 10, 11, and 11A, the former Rural District Council Offices, No 18, County Hall, and the forecourt wall, gate piers, gates, and railings of County Hall and the Police Station.