The Old Council House And Attached Front Gates

The Old Council House and attached front gates

Council chamber, treasurer's office, and courts. Built 1824–1827, designed by Sir Robert Smirke, with sculpture by E H Baily. Extended in 1828 by R S Pope and G Dymock. Constructed in limestone ashlar with Pennant ashlar plinth and roof not visible. Neoclassical style.

The main building comprises two storeys with attic and basement, arranged as a five-window range with a two-storey, three-window extension on the left-hand side. The Council House is symmetrical about its centre, with a plinth rising to a moulded band. Above this, the elevation is articulated by giant pilasters supporting an entablature with dentil cornice. The end window sections are set back, while the centre section is recessed between giant fluted Ionic columns. A mid-20th-century attic storey sits behind outer balustrades and tall panelled parapets, with a recessed centre topped by a statue of Justice holding a spear on a wide plinth.

Steps lead up to a large doorway with pilaster jambs and entablature. The doors are two-leaf with six flush panels incorporating roundels. The windows have battered eared architraves with console cornices to the inner ground-floor windows, which feature recessed cills and 6/6-pane sashes. Between the pilasters is a first-floor sill band with raised stylised leaves.

Parapet sections flanking the centre display raised heraldic panels, with two attic windows flanking the statue. The mid-20th-century attic storey extends behind the balustrade. The right return shows a symmetrical five-window range with end sections set forward between pilasters, articulated as the front with first-floor band, console cornices to the outer first-floor windows, and a balustrade with dies. Four low basement windows contain 8/8-pane sashes.

The former Treasurer's Office is symmetrical with a plinth, recessed cills, first-floor plat band, cornice and blocking course. Distyle Greek Doric columns frame the entrance, with an entablature featuring triglyphs and cornice to a recessed doorway, now converted to a window with ashlar panel beneath the cill. Ground-floor windows have torus mouldings and architraves above with console cornice to the middle, and 6/6-pane sashes. Low basement windows have grilles.

The interior contains a wide entrance and stair hall with black and white marble tiles and a segmental-arched coffered ceiling. An impressive open cantilevered stone dogleg stair features brass inlaid treads, curtail and brass column balusters. The first-floor rear former Council Chamber is articulated by fluted pilasters supporting a deep frieze with festoon, and segmental-arched windows with small leaded panes. The first-floor rear left-hand chamber displays fine Greek Revival-style decoration with palmettes and anthemia, gilded pilasters to the narrower end bays, a modillion cornice, a central round lantern with plate-glass windows, shallow dome and iron pendant. A fine doorway with architrave and console cornice sits beneath the Royal Arms. Two good black marble fire surrounds with Greek Doric columns support an entablature.

Ground-floor rooms contain panelling and strapwork to the ceilings, with Jacobean Revival-style fireplaces featuring red marble consoles and carved overmantels. A Parliament clock occupies the first-floor left-hand front room. The basement features semicircular-arched tunnel vaults.

Attached cast-iron gates with diagonal bars and brass finials protect the entrance.

The Council House functioned as the seat of local government until relocation to College Green following the Second World War, after which it served as Magistrates' courts. The Treasurer's Office was added when the original building proved insufficient in space. This addition was Pope's first recorded work and represents an early accurate use of Greek detail.