Old Town Hall Vaults

SJ 5441 8/113

WHITCHURCH URBAN C.P. SAINT MARY'S STREET (south-east side) No. 1 (Old Town Hall Vaults)

GV II

House, now public house. Mid-C19. Red brick with painted stone dressings. Slate roof. Irregular T-plan with slightly projecting cross wing to left. Tudor Gothic style. 2 storeys. Stone plinth, moulded stone eaves cornice, and parapeted gable ends with moulded stone copings and shaped stone kneelers. Brick ridge stack off-centre to right with stone-coped rectangular base and 3 diagonally-placed square shafts, and brick ridge stack to left-hand wing with 2 shafts. 1:2 bays; pair of outer first- floor 2-light small-paned wooden casements, each with chamfered reveals, stone cill and stone lintel with returned hoodmould. Central first-floor canted oriel with moulded base and 1-:2-:1- light small-paned casements with panels beneath and frieze, moulded cornice,and blocking course above. Pair of ground-floor canted bays, each with flush lower panels, 1-:2-:1- small-paned lights, frieze, moulded cornice, and coped panelled parapet. Central pair of half-glazed panelled doors with chamfered reveals and stone lintel with returned hoodmould. Blocked chamfered narrow opening in gable to left with stone cill and lintel. Granite plaque on wall to right of entrance, inscribed: "SIR EDWARD GERMAN / THE FAMOUS COMPOSER / WAS BORN HERE / 17TH FEBRUARY 1862". Edward German is best known for his operettas, such as Merrie England and Tom Jones, but also two symphonies, many songs and other concert music. He died in 1936. The Old Town Hall Vaults was formerly known as the Cornmarket Inn. Included for group value. Kathleen Barnard, The Life of Edward German. Composer. 1862-1936 (1986); R.B. James, Whitchurch - A Short History (1979), p. 10.

Listing NGR: SJ5420441547