The Guildhall

The Guildhall

This is a Grade II* listed building consisting of a market hall, town-hall chamber and council chamber, built between 1814 and 1816 to the designs of architect John Nash. A clock tower was added between 1887 and 1888.

The building is constructed of brick with coursed stucco and Bath-stone ashlar dressings. The principal pitched roof is covered with asbestos-cement tile, while smaller hipped sections are roofed in slate; there are also flat roofs in lead and roofing felt.

The building occupies a wedge-shaped site between the High Street and Quay Street. It is two storeys to the west and south, and three storeys to the north and east. The structure is designed in the Neoclassical style and topped by hipped, gable and flat roofs. Three original lead hoppers of oblong, moulded design survive.

The west elevation is dominated by a tetrastyle portico. At ground floor level is an arcade with three round arches topped by keystones, with smaller arches in the portico returns. Beyond the arcade are three recessed masonry arches containing a double-leaf entrance door topped by a fanlight and flanked by round-arch sash windows. At first-floor level are four Greek Ionic columns supporting a stepped entablature and pediment with a dentilled cornice and attached flagpole. Within the portico are three full-length six-over-six sash windows with glazing bars and rendered lintels; cast-iron railings are positioned between the columns.

To the right of the portico stands the clock tower from the 1880s, clad in Bath stone with quoins and a rusticated ground-floor arcade. Below the clock faces are corbelled stone plaques with carved lettering reading 'VICTORIA' and recessed panels showing the Jubilee date of 1887 in Roman numerals. The clock faces are flanked by clasped Ionic pilasters. Above are pediments and a cupola with small Ionic columns.

The building's arcading continues along the south side, with smaller arches at the corners than elsewhere. Beyond the arcading are more recessed arches with sash windows. On the first floor are further Ionic columns with intervening railings, behind which the south elevation contains a row of sash windows and oculi in the returns. Above the columns is a stepped entablature and dentilled cornice. To the east is a 1960s three-storey extension, set back from the main elevation, with round-arch ground-floor sash windows and flat-arch sash windows above (six-over-six at first floor and three-over-six at second floor).

To the left of the portico is a skewed corner bay with a pair of arches leading to two doors, one providing access to the smaller of the two original staircases. Above, on the north return, is a first-floor oculus and second-floor sash window.

The northern elevation, which continues along Quay Street, has a ground floor consisting of a row of recessed arches. At the centre is a double-leaf door topped by a fanlight with timber surround, providing access to the main staircase and flanked by a pair of round-arched sash windows to the left and a sash window with oculus to the right. Above is a row of first-floor six-over-six sashes and second-floor three-over-six sashes. Further east is the north elevation of the 1960s five-window range with windows in matching styles and a central recessed door. The dentil course and first-floor banding continue along this northern elevation.

Interior

The former ground-floor market hall is understood to retain four of the original cast-iron columns, now encased in later square pillars within the entrance hall. Many partitions within this area and the exhibition space are mid-20th century or later, as are the fibrous plaster columns. To the north are various rooms including mid-20th century detention cells. Two original staircases with curtail steps, oak handrails and plain iron balusters survive. The larger central staircase rises from ground floor (where the floor level has been raised) to the first floor, while the smaller north-west stair, with visible stone floor and treads, rises to the second floor.

On the first floor are the two principal rooms: the town-hall chamber to the east and the smaller council chamber to the west. These rooms retain their original full-height window shutters and coved ceilings with plasterwork modillion cornice and guilloche band. The rooms have skirting and dado rails which may be original. Evidence of later refurbishment includes circular grills from which chandeliers hang, likely dating to the 1880s ventilation system, and late-19th century Anaglypta or Lincrusta wallpaper on the ceiling of the town-hall chamber. The original chimney pieces were removed in the 1960s. Against the east side of the partition between the two rooms are original scagliola Corinthian columns, restored in the 1960s. The central part of the partition wall with linking door was replaced in the latter half of the 20th century, and the original side doors have been infilled. Sections of floorboards in both rooms have also been replaced. A scar along the north wall of the town-hall chamber may indicate the location of an early-19th century gallery; a recessed alcove in the second-floor room behind this wall may have been the location of an off-centre access door.

Within the council chamber are wall paintings including a portrait of Sir Leonard Holmes, MP. The 1887 bell tower is accessed internally via a door in the council chamber. The tower contains a timber staircase with several stages leading to the original bell and clock mechanism.

Rooms to the north of the chambers have lost their original chimney pieces, and some have been reduced in size to create a corridor. Many doors and door frames have been replaced, some replicating earlier styles; at least one original door and surround survives on the second-floor bathroom in the north-west corner. The roof voids have not been accessible; the extent to which original roof timbers survive is unclear.

A 1960s extension contains further rooms and a staircase arranged around a central void with doors linking through to the original range; the interior of this extension is of lesser architectural interest.