Shire Hall

WORCESTER

SO8455SE FOREGATE STREET 620-1/12/273 (East side) 22/05/54 Shire Hall

GV II*

Shire Hall. c1834-5 with later additions and alterations including those c1895 and c1995. Architects, Charles Day, County Surveyor, and Henry Rowe of Worcester. Ashlar over brick with stucco scored in imitation of ashlar over brick to additions; concealed roof. Entrance lobby with full-width great hall and 2 rear courts with stairwell between. Greek Revival. Single tall storey, 3 bays with single-storey, single-bay outer ranges. Centre projects with 4 steps to hexastyle portico with giant fluted Ionic columns and Doric pilasters supporting dentil entablature with pediment. Outer bays have giant Doric pilasters on continuous plinth to ends with continuous entablature and coped parapet. Central entrance, tall panelled double doors and panelled overlight in tooled entablature. Returns of centre block, and end bays have stained glass windows in tooled surrounds with cornices and continuous sill band. Further entrance to left return: double 4-panel doors with sidelights and divided overlight. INTERIOR: great hall rises through 2 storeys and has oak panelling to lower part with surmounting cornice; double, panelled doors with blind lunettes over, those giving access to courts have Art Nouveau masks representing Justice; gallery at rear on console brackets has cast-iron balusters; barrel-vaulted ceiling with coffering; lateral windows have stained glass with coats of arms within architraves with Doric pilasters and shallow central pediments. Staircase has narrow well and cast-iron balusters with wreathed oak handrail. Court One is largely original and has panelling to lower stage with flush beading; gallery to 3 sides with ornate cast-iron balusters, to rear wall a blind arcade of Doric pilasters; judges' bench has canopy on scrolled corbels; benches. HISTORICAL NOTE: by the early C19 it was realised that the Guildhall (qv) was too small to contain all that it did, particularly when the County Court Assizes were being held. In 1829 the County sought legal advice to see if it would be possible to extend the courts belonging to the City; this was not permitted but instead a special act of parliament was granted to enable the County to purchase land in Foregate Street on which the new Shire Hall and Judges Lodgings (qv) were built at a cost of ,32,000. An outstanding example of early C19 government architecture. Pevsner, describes this as 'This is an impeccable Grecian design, in the Smirke taste, of fine ashlar stone ... with ... excellent Schinkelish detail.'

Abuts Judges' Lodgings, Sansome Walk (qv). (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Worcestershire: Harmondsworth: 1968-1985: 323; Old Worcester - People and Places: Gwilliam H W: Old Worcester - People and Places: Worcester: 1977-: 85).