Shire Hall is a Grade II* listed building in the Chelmsford local planning authority area, England. First listed on 20 May 1949. Public building. 10 related planning applications.

Shire Hall

WRENN ID
north-pillar-moss
Grade
II*
Local Planning Authority
Chelmsford
Constituency
Chelmsford MP: Marie Goldman (LD)
Country
England
Date first listed
20 May 1949
Type
Public building
Address
Shire Hall, Tindal Square, CM1 1EH
OS grid reference
TL 708 068
Coordinates
51.7347, 0.47297
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: sale history · EPC · related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Shire Hall, built in 1790-1791 by John Johnson, County Surveyor, is a Grade II* listed building located on the north side of Tindal Square. It features a classic facade made of Portland stone and consists of three storeys. The ground floor is rusticated and has three arched entrances. The upper storey is highlighted by a central pediment supported by Ionic columns. The second storey includes a range of five very large double-hung sash windows with glazing bars; the three central windows have stone pediments, while the two outer windows feature segmented pediments and stone columns. The third storey showcases three high reliefs in the window spaces, representing Justice, Wisdom, and Mercy. The interior includes an Assembly Room, which has undergone significant alterations in the 19th century.

Local climate

Shire Hall sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 98% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 76% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 24 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 74% of listed buildings. Of these, 13 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
  • Sale history — 2 transactions since 2000
  • Related listed building consents — 10 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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