The Guildhall And Town Hall With Attached Coach House

LAUNCESTON

SX32843384 WESTERN ROAD 660-1/4/191 (South East side) 10/12/92 The Guildhall and Town Hall with attached coach house

GV II

Guildhall and Town Hall. 1881 and 1887. Town Hall by Otho B Peter of Launceston and G Hine of Plymouth. Polychrome mostly slatestone rubble walls with granite and polyphant stone dressings; dry slate roofs with coped gable ends; crested clay ridge tiles; moulded stacks; tower with pyramidal roof with weather-vane and embattled parapet with bracketed cornice; original cast-iron rainwater-heads and downpipes. Large irregular plan with central front tower between small hall on the left and large hall on the right. Mixed Gothic Revival style. 3-stage tower, otherwise tall single-storey elevations to Western Road. Symmetrical 3-window gabled front on the left with 4-centred arched windows each with 3 stepped pointed-arched lights and double transoms. Tower flanked by 2 low 2-light bays with round-arched lights; 3 similar but taller louvred lights to upper stage of tower, strings dividing stages; clock and niche with piper to 2nd stage and moulded 4-centred arched doorway approached by flight of granite steps. Tall symmetrical gable end of large hall on right with 3 stepped ventilators to gable over very large 7-light 4-centred arched windows with frieze of quatrefoils over lower lights and 2 transoms above; sill string linked to flanking panelled buttresses, 4-centred arched doorway set back on right. Rear has 2-window range with 3-light transomed windows, those to 1st floor breaking eaves and under hipped roofs. Tower has embattled round stair turret with conical slate roof and finial; clockface to tall bell-stage opening. 3-bay right-hand return has 3-light windows with 4 centred arched lights; porch to 2nd bay with Tudor arched doorway. Small linking wing at rear to coach house on the right with 3-light gable window with 4-centred arched lights over large carriage doorway with C20 doors. INTERIOR: Guildhall has arch-braced roof springing from corbels, and diagonal ceiling boards; chimney-piece dated 1881 with moulded cornice; corner shafts to principal window, high dado panelling; large town hall with similar roof structure except with tie rods and moulded cornice. Other features include some geometric polychrome tiled floors and pointed-arched doorways to corridors and square hoods to hall doorways. (Kelly's Directories: Directory of Cornwall: 1902-: P.169).

Listing NGR: SX3303384469