Description

LAUNCESTON

SX32843384 WESTERN ROAD
660-1/4/191 (South East side)
10/12/92 The Guildhall and Town Hall with
attached coach house

GV II

Guildhall and Town Hall. 1881 and 1887. Town Hall by Otho B
Peter of Launceston and G Hine of Plymouth.
Polychrome mostly slatestone rubble walls with granite and
polyphant stone dressings; dry slate roofs with coped gable
ends; crested clay ridge tiles; moulded stacks; tower with
pyramidal roof with weather-vane and embattled parapet with
bracketed cornice; original cast-iron rainwater-heads and
downpipes.
Large irregular plan with central front tower between small
hall on the left and large hall on the right. Mixed Gothic
Revival style.
3-stage tower, otherwise tall single-storey elevations to
Western Road. Symmetrical 3-window gabled front on the left
with 4-centred arched windows each with 3 stepped
pointed-arched lights and double transoms. Tower flanked by 2
low 2-light bays with round-arched lights; 3 similar but
taller louvred lights to upper stage of tower, strings
dividing stages; clock and niche with piper to 2nd stage and
moulded 4-centred arched doorway approached by flight of
granite steps.
Tall symmetrical gable end of large hall on right with 3
stepped ventilators to gable over very large 7-light 4-centred
arched windows with frieze of quatrefoils over lower lights
and 2 transoms above; sill string linked to flanking panelled
buttresses, 4-centred arched doorway set back on right.
Rear has 2-window range with 3-light transomed windows, those
to 1st floor breaking eaves and under hipped roofs.
Tower has embattled round stair turret with conical slate roof
and finial; clockface to tall bell-stage opening.
3-bay right-hand return has 3-light windows with 4 centred
arched lights; porch to 2nd bay with Tudor arched doorway.
Small linking wing at rear to coach house on the right with
3-light gable window with 4-centred arched lights over large
carriage doorway with C20 doors.
INTERIOR: Guildhall has arch-braced roof springing from
corbels, and diagonal ceiling boards; chimney-piece dated 1881
with moulded cornice; corner shafts to principal window, high
dado panelling; large town hall with similar roof structure
except with tie rods and moulded cornice. Other features
include some geometric polychrome tiled floors and
pointed-arched doorways to corridors and square hoods to hall
doorways.
(Kelly's Directories: Directory of Cornwall: 1902-: P.169).

Listing NGR: SX3303384469

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Guildhall And Town Hall With Attached Coach House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q26585385

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)