Plymouth Guildhall

Plymouth Guildhall is located on Guildhall Square in the city centre of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]

Plymouth Guildhall
The west front of the guildhall
LocationPlymouth, Devon
Coordinates50.369791°N 4.141469°W / 50.369791; -4.141469
Built1874
ArchitectNorman and Hine
Architectural style(s)Gothic Revival style
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated1 May 1975
Reference no.1113280
Location of Plymouth Guildhall in Devon

History

The first guildhall can be dated back to the 15th century and is believed to have been located in the Old Town; it was replaced by a second guildhall which was erected in the Southside Street / Woolster Street area in 1440.[2] A third guildhall was built in the Jacobean style at the junction of High Street and Whimple Street in 1607; this was demolished to allow a fourth guildhall, designed by a Mr Eveleigh, to be built and completed in 1800.[2]

The foundation stone for the current building, which was the fifth, was laid by the mayor, William Luscombe, on 28 July 1870.[3] It was designed by Norman and Hine of Plymouth with artistic direction by Edward William Godwin in the Gothic Revival style and built by Messrs Call and Pethick.[3] The building was officially opened by the Prince of Wales on 13 August 1874.[3] The design for the west front, where the entrance now is, involved an octagonal tower on the left and a 50 meters (160 ft) high square tower on the right.[4] Internally, the principal room was the Great Hall: a pipe organ, made by Henry Willis & Sons, was installed in the hall in October 1978.[5]

The building's role increased in importance when the Three Towns of Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse amalgamated in 1914 and municipal functions were transferred to the expanded City of Plymouth.[6]

The guildhall and the surrounding buildings were reduced to shells on the night of 21 March 1941 during the Plymouth Blitz of the Second World War.[3] Paton Watson and Patrick Abercombie envisaged a Beaux Arts city which would have involved the demolition of the Guildhall: their proposal was rejected by one council vote in 1951.[1] Following the restoration of the building, which involved a new roof, entrances and interior, the building was re-opened by Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein on 24 September 1959.[3]

Although the City Treasurer's Department remained in the east wing of the guildhall, the council continued to need more space and most departments moved to Plymouth Civic Centre, located a short distance to the west of the guildhall, in 1962.[7]

Description

The Great Hall is currently a multi-purpose venue, hosting a range of events throughout the year including graduations, award ceremonies, weddings and civil ceremonies.[8] Fourteen stained glass windows, designed by Frederick Halford Coventry (1905-1997), line the sides of the hall and depict notable moments in Plymouth's history.[9] A large 19th century tapestry, made at Gobelins Manufactory, hangs at the front and depicts Raphael's vision of the "Miraculous Drought of Fishes".[9] Famous performers in the hall have included the rock band Status Quo in March 1973, [10] the rock band Queen in March 1974[11] and the European Union Chamber Orchestra conducted by Julian Lloyd Webber in April 2009.[12][13]

References
  1. Historic England. "Guildhall including Great Hall, Assize Courts and former City Treasury, City of Plymouth (1113280)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  2. "Guildhalls". Plymouth.data. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. "Present Guildhall". Plymouth.data. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  4. "Plymouth Guildhall". Emporis. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  5. Smart, Jason (1 December 2007). "The Organ of Plymouth Guildhall" (PDF). Plymouth Organists. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  6. "The early history of Plymouth". Archived from the original on 2008-06-09. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
  7. "Plymouth, Civic Centre". Plymouth.data. Archived from the original on 2013-05-20. Retrieved 2017-07-24.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. "Plymouth Guildhall". www.plymouth.gov.uk. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  9. "Celebrate, Share, Love Your Guildhall" (PDF). Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  10. "Status Quo Gigography and Live Tapes Archive". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  11. "Plymouth Guildhall". Setlist. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  12. "European Union Chamber Orchestra". Plymouth Pavilions Classical Concert Series. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  13. "The Great Hall". www.plymouth.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
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