County Court Office

BRIDGWATER

ST2937SE QUEEN STREET 736-1/10/151 (North side) 16/12/74 County Court Office

GV II*

Court house. Foundation stone laid 9.6.1824. Architect Richard Carver. Ham Hill stone with slate roof. Rectangular plan. 2 storeys; symmetrical 5-window range. Cornice and blocking course returned to the sides; the 3 central bays are stepped forward under a pediment supported by 2 Ionic pillars and Tuscan antae; outer bays have tripartite windows between Tuscan pilasters. Flat arches to windows on the first floor, which are 6/9-pane sashes with shallow panelled aprons; the 3 central 6/6-pane sash ground-floor windows have segmental arches and are set back under a segmental arcade with Tuscan pilasters. To the outer bays, under tripartite windows, are similar segmental arches on Tuscan pilasters, that to the left has C20 planked double doors, that to the right has steps up to a C20 six-panel door, raised-and-fielded to the top beaded to the base with vertical bead down the centre, under a segmental-arched overlight of 2 panes. INTERIOR: entrance hall to right has full-width stone flags, high skirting board, 6-panel door to central room to left, a semi-elliptical-arched recess with C20 door to rear left leading to the stairs and a tall narrow semicircular-arched recess in angle of corner to rear right. The right-hand wall of office to centre has a wide semi-elliptical arched recess over the door flanked by concave quadrant recesses so angled as to form an even deeper recess; the moulded cornice follows the contours. The circular open-well staircase has stick balusters, a wreathed curtail step, a continuous rail wreathed around a turned newel. Rooms to rear are remodelled. Courtroom on first floor has a segmental barrel-vaulted ceiling with 3 rows of 3 square panels, 3 narrow panels over the bench, thick box cornice and ornamental ventilation rose to centre. The furnishings are c1930, of oak, with a coat of arms over the bench. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: cast-iron bootscrapers flank the entrance, these are inverted semi-circles raised on moulded stems with a blade to centre and ornamental knobs to sides. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: South and West Somerset: London: 1958-: 98).

Listing NGR: ST2995637142