Devon County Hall

SX 9291 EXETER, FORMER CB TOPSHAM ROAD St Leonards 871/15/10027 Devon County Hall

GV II*

County Hall: council chamber, associated suite, and local government offices. Designed 1955; built 1958-64. Designed by Donald McMorran. Buff brickwork, granite, low-pitched masonry slated roof. Courtyard plan with three to four storey building culminating in tower and council chamber, connected to the circa 1700 house "Bellair" (already listed). Varied treatment to elevations in McMorran's idiosyncratic classical manner. Some windows square headed, but in certain areas segmental headed for emphasis. Vaulted undercroft to entrance with segmental arches. Semi-circular arches to link with "Bellair". Tower has much blind brickwork above roof level topped by paired semi-circular headed bell louvres to each face with clock between, and bell above, on one face. A major civic work by McMorran, one of the most important architects to continue working in a sophisticated neo-classical idiom during the 1950s and 1960s. The building is of a very high quality throughout in terms of its materials, finishes, furnishings and craftsmanship, including the use of many local materials.

Listing NGR: SX9295891644