Shire Hall, Haverfordwest

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Shire Hall, Haverfordwest
Native name
Neuadd y Sir Hwlffordd (Welsh)
Haverfordwest Shire Hall (geograph 4296466).jpg
Shire Hall, Haverfordwest
LocationHigh Street, Haverfordwest
Coordinates 51°48′06″N4°58′07″W / 51.8016°N 4.9686°W / 51.8016; -4.9686
Built1837
Architect William Owen
Architectural style(s) Neoclassical style
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameThe Shire Hall
Designated12 October 1951
Reference no.12110
Pembrokeshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in Pembrokeshire

The Shire Hall (Welsh : Neuadd y Sir Hwlffordd) is a municipal structure in the High Street, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The shire hall, which was the meeting place of the old Pembrokeshire County Council, is a Grade II* listed building. [1]

Contents

History

The building was commissioned by the justices as accommodation for the regular assizes: the site they selected was occupied by a Quaker meeting House. [1] It was designed by William Owen in the neoclassical style, built in brick with a stucco finish and was completed in 1837. [1] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing onto the High Street; the central section of three bays, which slightly projected forward, was fenestrated with round headed windows on the ground floor and square headed sash windows on the first floor. The windows in the central section were flanked by full height Ionic order pilasters supporting an entablature with a modillioned pediment above. The end bays featured round headed doors with fanlights on the ground floor, sash windows with consoled pediments on the first floor and a modillioned cornice above. Internally, the principal room was the courtroom. [1]

In the early 1840s, the building was the venue for the trial of one of the leaders of the Rebecca Riots who had been involved in an incident at the Colby Scott Turnpike Gate. [2] [3] Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, it became necessary to establish a permanent meeting place for the newly formed Pembrokeshire County Council: internal alterations were carried out to a design by Arthur Thomas to create a council chamber 1901. [1] The shire hall was regularly used for concerts and other public performances; the Haverfordwest Male Voice Choir performed their first concert in the building in 1896. [4] It was also the venue, in March 1950, for the trial of the Rosemarket farmer, Albert Jenkins, who was found guilty of murdering his landlord, William Llewellyn, and subsequently executed by hanging. [5]

The shire hall continued to host meetings of the county council until it was abolished in 1974 [6] and continued to host hearings in the courthouse until it closed in June 2003. [7] The new unitary authority, Pembrokeshire County Council, decided the building was surplus to requirements, conducted a competition for the disposal of the building and appointed Wetherspoons as its preferred bidder: the decision led to protests led by the Haverfordwest Civic Society who did not want to see the building converted into a public house. [8] [9] Wetherspoons subsequently withdrew their interest in the shire hall and converted a property in Quay Street instead. [10]

A developer, Red Dragon Developments, acquired a 999-year lease on the shire hall, in February 2010, and carried out an extensive programme of refurbishment works. [11] The works included the installation of a lift, the re-roofing of the building and the re-facing of the front elevation with lime plaster and red paint. [11]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Cadw. "The Shire Hall (12110)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Pub bid a winner for Shire Hall". Wales Online. 22 March 2004. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Justice ends at the shire hall". Western Telegraph. 29 July 2004. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "History". Haverfordwest Male Voice Choir. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "Del Boy inspires spring water venture". Wales Online. 4 October 2004. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "Pembrokeshire County Council Records". Archives Hub. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "Rebecca Rioters court is rising for the last time after 160 years". Western Mail. 27 June 2003. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Protest at court room pub plan". BBC. 7 July 2004. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "County councillors shun Shire Hall pub protest". Western Telegraph. 14 July 2004. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "Pembrokeshire's first JD Wetherspoon opens in Quay Street, Haverfordwest, today". Western Telegraph. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Haverfordwest Shire Hall sale due to regeneration". Western Telegraph. 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
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