[Picture: The County Hall]
Architectural excellence has been said to consist in the judicious and
skilful adaptation of an edifice to its specific destination, and in the
appropriate and tasteful display of its interior and exterior ornaments,
and that public buildings should be distinguished by decisive and
apposite characteristic features of their purpose. How far this has been
exemplified in the Salop County Hall, the foregoing illustrative vignette
will in a great measure decide. The design is by Sir Robert Smirke, and
the style Italian; the main feature of the elevation being a bold cornice
resting on sculptured modillons.
The principal front is divided into three divisions by projecting string
courses, and is 112½ feet in length; the portion facing High-street, 58
feet; height to the top of parapet 54 feet.
On examining the interior of the structure, it will be evident that the
architect has made the most of a very limited space of ground: the
different apartments are convenient, lofty, and well adapted to the
various purposes for which they are intended. The offices in particular,
although plain, are fitted up in a most substantial manner.
The entrance hall is 22 feet 8 inches by 21½ feet, having on the right a
lobby leading to the crown court, and a room for the use of witnesses
waiting for examination in that court. On the left is a similar entrance
to the nisi prius court, and the mayor’s room (appropriated to counsel
during the assizes). Opposite the entrance door is the grand staircase,
spacious and of easy ascent; on the first landing are three doorways, the
centre one leading to the judges’ retiring room (which communicates with
the courts), and those on either hand to the magisterial bench in the
respective courts, which are of equal dimensions, 42 feet by 36 feet.
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The accommodation for the gentlemen of the bar was intended to have been
similar to that provided (under the direction of the same architect) in
the Court of King’s Bench and several other places; but objections being
made by the counsel on this circuit, and a petition sent to the
magistrates, this arrangement was altered, and the space immediately
before the judge is occupied by a large table, with sufficient seats for
twenty counsellors, having a row of seats behind for attornies.
The bench is elevated 3½ feet above the floor, on each side of which is
accommodation for the magistrates.
The ceiling of both courts is panelled and ornamented, and the walls are
lined with wood as high as the small side galleries, which are intended
for the use of the grand and special jurors.
In each court is a gallery for the public, the two front benches of which
are partitioned off for jurymen in waiting. To these galleries are
separate entrances from the principal front, in order to prevent the
annoyance of a crowd in the vestibule of the hall, through which
admittance will be afforded for those persons who have business in the
courts.
Under the public galleries are lock-up rooms for the jury.
The nisi prius court is lighted by a lantern, which occupies a
considerable space in the ceiling; and beneath the public gallery of this
court is the waiting-room for witnesses. The first story is approached
by a broad flight of stairs: on the left is the grand jury room, 30 feet
by 18 feet, lofty and finished in a tasteful manner, having a
communication with the gallery in the crown court for the presentment of
bills. Attached to this apartment is a large room for witnesses
attending the grand jury; the floor is of stone, and forms the ceiling of
the entrance hall. To the right is the office of the clerk of
indictments.
From this division of the building the staircase leads to the entrance of
the GREAT ROOM, adapted for a third court or other public purposes
requiring space. It is decorated with an enriched cornice and panelled
ceiling; the dimensions are 45½ feet by 32½ feet, and 19 feet high,
having a recess at one end; it is lighted by windows at the side and
back, and is well ventilated by means of tubes which pass from the
ceiling through the roof.
By another ascent of steps the upper floor is gained. To the left are
offices for the clerk of the peace, with a fire-proof room as a
depositary for records. Similar rooms to the right are appropriated for
the town clerk.
In the rear of the building is a house for the hall-keeper, resting over
an entrance intended as a passage for the cart conveying prisoners from
the gaol, where they are set down in an area having stairs leading to
spacious and airy cells; these, with cellars for other purposes, occupy a
considerable portion of the base of the building, which stands upon a
concrete foundation, 10 feet thick, rendered necessary (from the
insufficient state of the ground) to support the weight of a massive
structure. In excavating for this purpose, many curiosities were found;
and although the required depth was 19 feet below the level of the
street, the natural strata was not discovered, the whole bed being a
complete bog of peaty soil of unequal depth,—a sufficient cause for all
the fissures visible for several years past in the external and internal
walls of the former fabric, which was only completed in 1785, at a cost
of £11,000.
In 1832, Thomas Telford, Esq. was requested to examine the nature of the
foundations, when it appeared that the oak sapling piles, or rather
stakes, on which the building rested were totally decayed, and become as
soft as the earth by which they were surrounded. To restore the walls to
a sound state was deemed a difficult and expensive undertaking, even if
practicable. A new building was therefore determined upon, Sir Robert
Smirke having guaranteed a sufficient foundation on the old site, by
taking out the whole of the soil, and replacing it by an artificial body
of concrete. His plan was adopted by the county magistrates, Jan. 28th,
1834, and in the month of April workmen commenced taking down the old
edifice, {116} and the new building progressed towards completion so as
to be ready by March, 1837.
The foundations appear to have succeeded beyond the expectations of all
concerned, and the building does great credit to the contractors, Messrs.
Birch and Sons. The estimated cost is about £12,000, raised by a county
rate.