County Hall, Chelmsford

Essex County Hall in Chelmsford, Essex is a municipal building and the seat of Essex County Council. Blocks C and D are Grade II listed buildings.[1]

County Hall, Chelmsford
LocationChelmsford, Essex
Coordinates51.7347°N 0.4704°E / 51.7347; 0.4704
Built1909
ArchitectF. Whitmore
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated26 February 2007
Reference no.1391892
Location of County Hall, Chelmsford in Essex

History

Originally the Shire Hall in Chelmsford was the facility established for dispensing justice and hosting civic meetings in the county.[2] In order to facilitate travel arrangements council meetings were actually held in London in the early 20th century.[3]

The oldest part of the current County Hall complex, a red brick building on Duke Street known as Block D, designed by F. Whitmore, was completed in 1909.[1] The most imposing part of the complex, a building clad in Portland Stone on the corner of Duke Street and Threadneedle Street known as Block C, designed by J. Stuart, was built between 1929 and 1939.[1] The geometric pattern carved into Block C has caused controversy as it can be interpreted as a line of swastikas.[4] Sir William Courtauld was the principal benefactor supporting the construction of this building.[5]

A modern 3-storey building in the heart of the complex, known as Block B, followed after the Second World War and a modern 9-storey building on Victoria Road South, known as Block A designed by H. Connolly, was built between 1959 and 1965.[5]

References
  1. Historic England. "Blocks C & D, County Hall (1391892)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  2. "Threadneedle Street, Tindal Street and environs, Chelmsford, 1938". Britain from above. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  3. "Conference on Labour History in Essex - Spring 2005" (PDF). Labour Heritage. p. 2. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  4. "Swastika building question put to Essex County Council". BBC. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  5. Bettley, James; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2007). Essex (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England). Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300116144.
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