Shire Hall, Hertford
The Shire Hall is a municipal building in Hertford, the county town of Hertfordshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building.[1][2]
| Shire Hall, Hertford | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Hertford, Hertfordshire |
| Coordinates | 51.7963°N 0.0775°W |
| Built | 1771 |
| Architect | James Adam |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Designated | 10 February 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1268930 |
  Location of Shire Hall, Hertford in Hertfordshire | |
History
Although a team of Robert Adam and his younger brother James Adam were selected to design the building, James took charge of the commission and the design is credited to him.[1] It was completed in 1771.[1] It was originally used to accommodate the assembly rooms and courts for the county.[3] It also housed the town's corn exchange until the mid-nineteenth century.[4]
Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, it became the meeting place of Hertfordshire County Council.[5] After the County Council moved to County Hall, a larger and more modern complex located further from the town centre, in 1939,[6] the shire hall was used solely as a family magistrates' court.[7]
References
- Historic England. "Shire Hall, Hertford (1268930)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- Nikolaus Pevsner; Bridget Cherry (1977). Hertfordshire. Yale University Press. pp. 186–8. ISBN 978-0-300-09611-8.
- R. Lydekker (13 December 2012). Hertfordshire. Cambridge University Press. pp. 139–140. ISBN 978-1-107-66950-5.
- Anne Rowe; Tom Williamson (1 June 2013). Hertfordshire: A Landscape History. Univ of Hertfordshire Press. pp. 407–8. ISBN 978-1-909291-02-7.
- "Local Government Act 1888". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- Historic England. "County Hall Including Terraces and Fountain, Hertford (1268807)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "What now for Shire Hall in Hertford?". Hertford Ward Times. Retrieved 3 November 2016.