Town Hall

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

SP2054NW CHAPEL STREET 604-1/10/40 (South East side) 25/10/51 Town Hall

GV II*

Town hall. 1767 with infill to arches of 1863 and later additions. By Robert Newman of Whittington, builder and mason. Cotswold stone; hipped slate roof. Palladian style. 2 storeys; symmetrical 5-bay range. 3-bay centre breaks forward under pediment. Platt band over ground floor; 1st floor sill band and top modillioned cornice. Ground floor has blocked round arches with segmental-headed windows with 24-pane horned sashes; 1st floor has windows with friezes and cornices over 24-pane horned sashes, that to centre has eared and shouldered architrave, pulvinated frieze and segmental-headed pediment. Below sill band is remains of painted words: GOD SAVE THE KING. Top pediment has relief of borough arms with husk drops and date: 1767. Sheep Street elevation of 3 bays has similar details; ground-floor windows with 8/12-pane sashes; 1st-floor niche has consoled open pediment over lead statue of Shakespeare, 1769, by John Cheere, a copy of the 1740 statue by Scheemakers on the Westminster Abbey memorial, the panel below recording details; panel below sill band records the Silver Jubilee of 1977. Rear wing has porch with round-arched opening and sashed window in round-headed recess to left; balustraded balcony above and recessed arched porch. INTERIOR: ground-floor room with rich C19 coffered ceiling, panelled pilasters to end flanking inscribed panels inscribed with names of bailiffs etc; rear room, former kitchen, has high ceiling and high 4- and 2-light ovolo-mullioned windows, large fireplace with moulded arch with herringbone brickwork; staircase probably rebuilt in C20; 1st-floor Tuscan ballroom with cornice and stucco panelling with Rococo relief work and candle sconces renewed after fire in 1946, two C19 fireplaces. HISTORICAL NOTE: the building was opened by David Garrick in 1769 on the occasion of the Shakespeare Jubilee, when he presented the statue of Shakespeare. From 1843 it was used for Corporation meetings and is now used by Stratford Town Council. A dignified building in an important position. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Warwickshire: London: 1966-: 415; Pevsner N: The Cathedrals of England: Southern England: Harmondsworth: 1985-: 191).

Listing NGR: SP2012754838