Shire Hall Complex, Bury St Edmunds

The Shire Hall Complex is a group of municipal buildings in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.

Shire Hall Complex, Bury St Edmunds
The Old Shire Hall
LocationBury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Coordinates52.2426°N 0.7195°E / 52.2426; 0.7195
Built1907
ArchitectArchie Ainsworth-Hunt
Architectural style(s)Edwardian Baroque style
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name: Old Shire Hall and Magistrates Court
Designated8 November 2018
Reference no.1460009
Location of Shire Hall Complex, Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk

History
The New Shire Hall, subsequently converted into a Premier Inn Hotel

The complex lies within the original precincts of Bury St Edmunds Abbey.[1] The most prominent building in the complex, the Old Shire hall, dates back to the 18th century, was remodeled in the early 19th century and was further restructured to the designs of William McIntosh Brookes in the Greek Revival style between 1841 and 1842.[2] The Old Shire Hall was originally used as the local facility for dispensing justice but, following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, it also became the meeting place for West Suffolk County Council.[3]

The Old Shire Hall was then rebuilt to the designs of Archie Ainsworth-Hunt, the county architect, in the Edwardian Baroque style between 1906 and 1907.[2] St Margaret's House, another 18th century building was subsequently incorporated into the complex.[4]

A large modern extension, often referred to as the New Shire Hall, was added in 1968.[5] However the New Shire Hall became under-utilised after the County Council was abolished in 1974[6] and the building was converted into a Premier Inn Hotel in 2014.[7] Meanwhile the Old Shire Hall ceased operating as a courthouse after the magistrates' court closed in 2016.[8]

gollark: I may have to look up exactly how much carbon dioxide exists.
gollark: We should just convert the spare atmospheric CO2 into cuboids of diamond (and oxygen gas) and build from those.
gollark: Can't wait for 50 degrees of warming and hypercanes.
gollark: Isn't water vapour a greenhouse gas too, though?
gollark: You could also point the orbital mirrors at population centres.

References
  1. "Shire Hall Development Brief" (PDF). Suffolk County Council. 1 May 2008. p. 4. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  2. Historic England. "Old Shire Hall, Bury St Edmunds (1460009)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  3. "Local Government Act 1888". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  4. Historic England. "St Margaret's House, Bury St Edmunds (1375562)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  5. "The late Twentieth Century 1946-2000". St Edmundsbury Chronicle. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  6. "The west may rise again!". East Anglian Daily Times. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  7. "Bury St Edmunds: New Shire Hall in Raingate Street is being turned into a Premier Inn". East Anglian Daily Times. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  8. "End of an era as Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Courts closes down after 440 years dispensing justice". East Anglian Daily Times. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
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