Warwickshire County Council offices and former gaol

Warwickshire County Council offices, incorporating the exterior of the former county gaol on Northgate Street.

The main building is the former county gaol, built 1779–83 in Greek Doric style by Thomas Johnson. It is a classical two-storey structure of eleven bays, constructed in sandstone ashlar. The three central bays project slightly forward and are topped with a pediment. The façade features attached, full-height unfluted Doric columns between each bay, with full entablature and triglyph frieze set on a plain plinth. A central round-arched carriage entrance is flanked by similar pedestrian entrances. Window openings with moulded stone cills contain multi-paned metal casement windows.

To the west, on the corner with Barrack Street, is the beginning of Henry Couchman's southern extension, built 1790–93 and also in sandstone ashlar. This elevation has two storeys and an attic, arranged in three sections: a three-bay central entrance gateway slightly projecting with three round-headed arches between plain pilasters; a six-window range to the north with metal-framed windows and a single cell door from the 18th-century gaol resited as a decorative feature; and a four-window range to the south with similar windows.

The complex occupies an irregularly-shaped site bounded by Northgate Street to the north, Barrack Street to the west, and the Market Place and Old Square to the south. Later ranges added to the rear comprise the 1930s buildings and subsequent extensions. The 1930s interiors, built 1929–32 by A C Bunch, County Architect, are ranged around two quadrangles with a north-south axis. These are constructed in red brick with sandstone dressings under slate roofs, with metal-framed casement windows. The 1930s exteriors around the internal courtyards are two storeys or two storeys with attic, in neo-Georgian style. Ranges are built in red brick on a stone plinth with moulded stone plat bands. The central section of each range projects forward slightly and is built in stone. Entrances to the office ranges are set in two of these projecting porches, featuring dentil cornices and concave-chamfered round-arched openings with large moulded keystones. One has a geometric carved design in the tympanum, the other the bear-and-ragged-staff motif. Each has a recessed doorway flanked by elaborate Art Deco lanterns with flame decoration. The southern courtyard contains an ornamental pond with a fountain, aligned on the main entrance to the office range. The northern courtyard houses a circular opening covered by a grille, lighting the dungeon below, which survives from the 1680 gaol.

Extensions were added in 1958 by G R Barnsley, County Architect, and 1966 by Eric Davies, County Architect. The southern-eastern range of the southern quadrangle dates from the 1960s. Other 1950s and 1960s ranges run along the western end of Barrack Street and front the Market Place and Old Square, with the council chamber set to the rear of the 1950s office range. The post-war buildings are not of special interest.

Internally, the stairs and public circulating areas are clad in imitation marble, with restrained Art Deco metalwork in the stair and lift shaft. Some senior officers' offices retain their original grey marble fireplaces and original fitted furniture. The office ranges are based on corridors set along the inner courtyard with offices of various sizes opening off them. These retain some original details such as skirtings and picture rails but are otherwise plain. Some have been altered in size. The 1680 dungeon, accessed from a staircase emerging within the adjacent Old Shire Hall building, is octagonal on plan and domed, lined in stone and brick with a cobbled floor and central drain, with timber posts for the shackling of prisoners.