Pevensey Court House

Last updated

Pevensey Court House
The Old Courthouse Pevensey - geograph.org.uk - 1412742.jpg
Pevensey Court House
LocationHigh Street, Pevensey
Coordinates 50°49′12″N0°20′11″E / 50.8201°N 0.3364°E / 50.8201; 0.3364
Built1540
Architectural style(s) Medieval style
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameThe Court House and Wallby
Designated30 August 1966
Reference no.1182588
East Sussex UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in East Sussex

Pevensey Court House, formerly known as Pevensey Town Hall, [1] [2] is a municipal building in the High Street, Pevensey, East Sussex, England. The structure, which currently accommodates a local history museum, is a Grade II listed building. [3]

History

The current building, which was commissioned to replace a 14th-century court house, [4] was designed in the medieval style, built in rubble masonry and was completed in around 1540. [5] It was then extended, with the construction of a north facing wing and the installation of a porch at the top of the external staircase, in 1830. A cement render finish was added at that time as well. [6] [7] [8]

The design of the enlarged building involved a main block which was orientated east to west together with a north facing wing. It featured an external staircase on the eastern side leading up to a porch on the first floor. The building was fenestrated by a prominent oriel window on the first floor at the end of the north facing wing, and by a casement window on the right-hand side of the main block, also facing north. The north facing wing was gabled and the main block was covered by a hipped roof. Internally, the principal rooms were a lock-up for incarcerating petty criminals on the ground floor, [9] [10] and a courtroom, which was 18 feet (5.5 m) long and 14 feet (4.3 m) wide, as well as a robing room, on the first floor. [6]

The borough council, which had met in the council chamber, was abolished under the Municipal Corporations Act 1883, [11] and the assets of the borough, including the building, were transferred to the newly formed Pevensey Town Trust in 1890. [12] [13]

One of the last people to be incarcerated in the prison cells was Betty Breach, who was found guilty of assaulting her drunken husband in 1887: after local protests, the magistrate who had sentenced Breach, apologised and released her. [14] The building was used to imprison a captured German airman and was also used as a mortuary during the Second World War. [6]

The court house subsequently served as a museum. [6] Exhibits accessioned to the collection included the seals of the borough which dated to around 1230, the official weights and measures of the borough, and a replica of a scene from the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the landing of William the Conqueror at Pevensey in 1066, which was hand-embroidered in the 1980s. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pevensey</span> Village and parish in East Sussex, England

Pevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located five miles (8 km) north-east of Eastbourne, one mile (1.6 km) inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish. It was here that William the Conqueror made the landing in his invasion of England in 1066 after crossing the English Channel from Normandy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pevensey Castle</span> Castle in East Sussex, England

Pevensey Castle is a medieval castle and former Roman Saxon Shore fort at Pevensey in the English county of East Sussex. The site is a scheduled monument in the care of English Heritage and is open to visitors. Built around 290 AD and known to the Romans as Anderitum, the fort appears to have been the base for a fleet called the Classis Anderidaensis. The reasons for its construction are unclear; long thought to have been part of a Roman defensive system to guard the British and Gallic coasts against Saxon pirates, it has more recently been suggested that Anderitum and the other Saxon Shore forts were built by a usurper in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to prevent Rome from reimposing its control over Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brussels Town Hall</span> Historic building and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Brussels, Belgium

The Town Hall of the City of Brussels is a landmark building and the seat of the City of Brussels municipality of Brussels, Belgium. It is located on the south side of the famous Grand-Place/Grote Markt, opposite the neo-Gothic King's House or Bread House building, housing the Brussels City Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodysgallen Hall</span> Historic manor house in Wales

Bodysgallen Hall is a manor house in Conwy county borough, north Wales, near the village of Llanrhos. Since 2008 the house has been owned by The National Trust. It is a Grade I listed building, currently used as a hotel. This listed historical building derives primarily from the 17th century, and has several later additions. Bodysgallen was constructed as a tower house in the Middle Ages to serve as defensive support for nearby Conwy Castle. According to tradition, the site of Bodysgallen was the 5th century AD stronghold of Cadwallon Lawhir, King of Gwynedd, who had wide-ranging exploits as far as Northumberland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regency Square, Brighton</span> Square in Brighton, UK

Regency Square is a large early 19th-century residential development on the seafront in Brighton, part of the British city of Brighton and Hove. Conceived by speculative developer Joshua Hanson as Brighton underwent its rapid transformation into a fashionable resort, the three-sided "set piece" of 69 houses and associated structures was built between 1818 and 1832. Most of the houses overlooking the central garden were complete by 1824. The site was previously known, briefly and unofficially, as Belle Vue Field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochdale Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England

Rochdale Town Hall is a Victorian-era municipal building in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. It is "widely recognised as being one of the finest municipal buildings in the country", and is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England

Leigh Town Hall is a municipal building in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England. It stands in Civic Square at the junction with Market Street, facing Leigh parish church. It was built in 1907 and granted grade II listed building status in 1987.

The history of local government in Sussex is unique and complex. Founded as a kingdom in the 5th century, Sussex was annexed by the kingdom of Wessex in the 9th century, which after further developments became the Kingdom of England. It currently corresponds to two counties, East Sussex and West Sussex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southgate Town Hall</span> Municipal building in London, England

Southgate Town hall is a municipal building in Green Lanes, Palmers Green, London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallington Town Hall</span> Municipal building in London, England

Wallington Town Hall is a municipal building in Woodcote Road, Wallington, London. It is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewes Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Lewes, East Sussex, England

Lewes Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street in Lewes, East Sussex, England. The structure, which is the meeting place of Lewes Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camelford Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Camelford, Cornwall, England

Camelford Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Place, Camelford, Cornwall, England. The town hall, which is currently used as a public library, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dulverton Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Dulverton, Somerset, England

Dulverton Town Hall is a municipal building in Fore Street in Dulverton, Somerset, England. The building, which is the meeting place of Dulverton Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Town Hall, Midhurst</span> Municipal building in Midhurst, West Sussex, England

The Old Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Square in Midhurst, West Sussex, England. The building, which is managed by the Midhurst Town Trust, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Guildhall, Looe</span> Municipal building in Looe, Cornwall, England

The Old Guildhall is a municipal building in Higher Market Street in Looe, Cornwall, England. The structure, which is currently used as a museum, is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higham Ferrers Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England

Higham Ferrers Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Square in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England. The structure, which serves as the offices and meeting place of Higham Ferrers Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Town Hall, Seaford</span> Municipal building in Seaford, East Sussex, England

The Old Town Hall is a municipal building in South Street in Seaford, East Sussex, England. The structure, which is used as a community tea room, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winchelsea Court Hall</span> Municipal building in Winchelsea, East Sussex, England

Winchelsea Court Hall, formerly known as the Water Bailiff's Prison, is a municipal building in the High Street in Winchelsea, East Sussex, England. The structure, which is used as a museum, is a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alresford Community Centre</span> Municipal building in New Alresford, Hampshire, England

Alresford Community Centre, formerly Alresford Town Hall, is a municipal building in West Street, New Alresford, Hampshire, England. The structure, which is now used as a community events venue, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llantrisant Guildhall</span> Municipal Building in Llantrisant, Wales

Llantrisant Guildhall is a municipal building on Castle Green, Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The structure, which is used as a visitor centre, is a Grade II listed building.

References

  1. ↑ Sussex archaeological collections relating to the history and antiquities of the county. Vol. 40. Farncombe and Company. 1896. p. 279.
  2. ↑ "Town Hall, Pevensey". Grenville Godfrey. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Historic England. "The Court House and Wallby (1182588)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "Pevensey". Visit South East England. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Locke, Tim (2011). Slow Sussex and South Downs National Park. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 232. ISBN   978-1841623436.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Tour". Pevensey Court House. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  7. ↑ "Pevensey Gaol". Prison History. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "Welcome". Pevensey Court House Museum. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  9. ↑ Winbolt, W. E. (1928). Sussex. G. Bell & Sons. p. 44.
  10. ↑ "The Most Unusual Experiences in Eastbourne, England". Culture Trip. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  11. ↑ Municipal Corporations Act 1883 (46 & 46 Vict. Ch. 18) (PDF). 1883. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Pevensey Historic Character Assessment Report" (PDF). West Sussex County Council. 1 March 2008. p. 20. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  13. ↑ Sacret, G. C. (1981). The Court House, Pevensey, Once the Smallest Town Hall in England. Pevensey Town Trust. p. 8.
  14. ↑ "Pevensey". Sussex Villages. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "Battle for Bayeux Tapestry: 'Don't forget Pevensey again'". The Argus. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.