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

• 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

• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)