Listed Building record MDO12775 - Town Hall, High Street, Shaftesbury

Building of two storeys to the north side and three on the south, to accommodate fall of hillslope. Of stone ashlar, with a slate roof. Dated 1826 (Salisbury Journal, 5 Aug.) A clock tower and probably also the north porch were added 1879. The Town Hall is said to have been built on the site of the medieval bull ring, stocks and whipping post. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

On the site of the existing Guildhall was the ancient Bull Ring, stocks and whipping post. (The present Town Hall now occupies the site of Gold Hill Cross and Hutchin's illustration depicts the stocks immediately at the foot of the cross). <2>

The ancient-bull-ring, stocks and whipping post were near Gold Hill Cross. Willis in his map depicts what appears to be a circular wall at ST 86252296, some 30m. To the NW and it is possible that this is the building, although both Hutchins and Pope seem to indicate that the bull-ring, stocks, whipping-post and Gold Hill Cross all occupied the same site. <2>

The site is covered by the Town Hall, and no visible traces remain. There is also evidence of antiquity at the site possibly indicated by Willis's map. <4>

Town Hall, built 1827 with tower of 1879 rebuilt 1923. <5>

<1> Shipp, W (ed), 1868, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 3 (Monograph). SWX3207.

Willis's plan of Shaftesbury 1615 approx scale 16" to 1 mile

<2> Pope, A, 1906, Old Stone Crosses of Dorset (Bibliographic reference). SWX1408.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, 1929 (Map). SDO10373.

(ST 86262293) Town Hall on site of (NAT) Bull Ring (NR)

<4> Edwards, D W, Field Investigator's Comments DE, F1 DE 26-JAN-56 (Unpublished document). SDO18341.

<5> DOE (HHR), 1973, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: North Dorset District, 38 (Scheduling record). SDO18623.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 66 (Monograph). SDO99.

'(7) The Town Hall stands on the W. of St. Peter's church (2), on the S. side of High Street. Because of the sharply falling ground it is of two storeys on the N. and of three on the S.; the walls are of ashlar and the roofs are slate-covered (Plate 61). The building dates from 1826 (Salisbury Journal, 5 Aug.) and the clocktower on the N. front was added in 1879; the N. porch probably is contemporary with the tower.

In the S. front the second floor is marked by a hollow-chamfered string-course, and the parapet rises above a string-course of bolder profile; these features are continuous on the E. and N. fronts. Until recently the N. and S. fronts had crenellated parapets, and a stone shield at the centre of the S. front bore the date 1827; the corresponding part of the N. front is masked by the clock-tower. The two lower storeys of the S. front and the lower storey on the N. were originally open arcades of five bays, with chamfered, elliptical-headed archways, presumably providing accommodation for covered markets. The openings have now been filled in, and on the first floor are fitted with windows of 'Gothic' pattern. In the top storey, the N. and S. fronts have each five bays of square-headed three-light windows with lozenge glazing, moulded wood surrounds, chamfered jambs and heads, and moulded stone labels. Inside, the mayor's seat in the council chamber has a wooden hood with enriched mouldings, resting on scrolled brackets.'

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206450 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 3 2022 1:55PM