Description

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

SP2054NW CHAPEL STREET
604-1/10/40 (South East side)
25/10/51 Town Hall

GV II*

Town hall. 1767 with infill to arches of 1863 and later
additions. By Robert Newman of Whittington, builder and mason.
Cotswold stone; hipped slate roof. Palladian style.
2 storeys; symmetrical 5-bay range. 3-bay centre breaks
forward under pediment. Platt band over ground floor; 1st
floor sill band and top modillioned cornice. Ground floor has
blocked round arches with segmental-headed windows with
24-pane horned sashes; 1st floor has windows with friezes and
cornices over 24-pane horned sashes, that to centre has eared
and shouldered architrave, pulvinated frieze and
segmental-headed pediment. Below sill band is remains of
painted words: GOD SAVE THE KING. Top pediment has relief of
borough arms with husk drops and date: 1767.
Sheep Street elevation of 3 bays has similar details;
ground-floor windows with 8/12-pane sashes; 1st-floor niche
has consoled open pediment over lead statue of Shakespeare,
1769, by John Cheere, a copy of the 1740 statue by Scheemakers
on the Westminster Abbey memorial, the panel below recording
details; panel below sill band records the Silver Jubilee of
1977.
Rear wing has porch with round-arched opening and sashed
window in round-headed recess to left; balustraded balcony
above and recessed arched porch.
INTERIOR: ground-floor room with rich C19 coffered ceiling,
panelled pilasters to end flanking inscribed panels inscribed
with names of bailiffs etc; rear room, former kitchen, has
high ceiling and high 4- and 2-light ovolo-mullioned windows,
large fireplace with moulded arch with herringbone brickwork;
staircase probably rebuilt in C20; 1st-floor Tuscan ballroom
with cornice and stucco panelling with Rococo relief work and
candle sconces renewed after fire in 1946, two C19 fireplaces.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the building was opened by David Garrick in
1769 on the occasion of the Shakespeare Jubilee, when he
presented the statue of Shakespeare. From 1843 it was used for
Corporation meetings and is now used by Stratford Town
Council. A dignified building in an important position.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Warwickshire: London: 1966-:
415; Pevsner N: The Cathedrals of England: Southern England:
Harmondsworth: 1985-: 191).

Listing NGR: SP2012754838

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Town Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17551481

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)