Wells Town Hall

Wells Town Hall
Wells Town Hall
LocationWells, Somerset
Coordinates51°12′32″N 2°38′42″W / 51.2089°N 2.6449°W / 51.2089; -2.6449
Built1779
Architectural style(s)Neoclassical style
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameTown Hall
Designated12 November 1953
Reference no.1383028
Wells Town Hall is located in Somerset
Wells Town Hall
Shown in Somerset

Wells Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Place in Wells, Somerset, England. The building, which is the headquarters of Wells City Council, is a Grade II listed building.[1]

History

The first civic building in the market place, a market and assize hall, was completed in 1548.[2] It was paid for in part by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, William Knight, and in part from a legacy left by the former Dean of Wells, Richard Woleman.[2] After falling into a state of disrepair, it was rebuilt in 1663.[2] It was at Wells assizes that, in the aftermath of the Monmouth Rebellion, Judge Jeffreys held the Bloody Assizes on 23 September 1685.[3][4]

After the justices complained that the old market house and assize hall was cold and uncomfortable, civic leaders decided to procure a new building: the site selected, which was to the south of the old market and assize hall, had been occupied by a Canonical House used by former archdeacons.[3] An Act "for building a new Assize or Town Hall and Market House, within the City or Borough of Wells, in the County of Somerset; and for regulating the Markets within the said City or Borough" was approved by Parliament in March 1779.[5]

The new building which was built by Edmund and William Lush of Salisbury in the neoclassical style and paid for by public subscription was completed in late 1779.[6] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with nine bays facing onto the Market Square; the central section of three bays, which projected forward and featured arcading on the ground floor with tall sash windows on the first floor and a pediment above, was added in 1907.[1] A French door and a balcony on the first floor and three oculi above were added in 1932.[1] Internally, the principal rooms were the courtroom in the east wing, which was used as the court of assizes and later converted into a council chamber, and the courtroom in the west wing, which was used the magistrates' court and, after refurbishment, referred to as the "old courtroom".[6]

The town hall served as the meeting place of Wells Municipal Borough Council for much of the 20th century[7] but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Mendip District Council was formed in 1974.[8] It then became the meeting place for Wells City Council, the local parish council for the area.[9] The court of assizes continued to be held in the building until October 1970.[1] The building also became an approved venue for marriages and civil partnerships in 1998[10] and magistrates' court hearings continued to be held in the building until 2010.[6]

Works of art in the town hall include a portrait by Godfrey Kneller of King Charles II,[11] a portrait by Peter Lely of King James II (as Duke of York)[12] and a portrait by Anthony van Dyck of Bishop Robert Creighton,[13] as well as a more recent portrait by Arthur Hayward of Admiral Sir James Somerville.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Historic England. "Town Hall (1383028)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Scrase, Tony (2006). Wells, A Small City. The History Press. p. 119. ISBN 978-0752435954.
  3. ^ a b "Market Hall and Assizes" (PDF). Bishops Palace. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  4. ^ "The Bloody Assize". Somerset County Council. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  5. ^ "'House of Lords Journal Volume 35: March 1779 1-10', in Journal of the House of Lords Volume 35, 1776-1779 (London, 1767-1830)". British History Online. pp. 599–622. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b c "History of Wells Town Hall". Wells City Council. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Wells MD". University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  8. ^ Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN 0-10-547072-4.
  9. ^ "What the Council does". Wells City Council. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Weddings". Wells City Council. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  11. ^ Kneller, Godfey. "Charles II (1630–1685)". Art UK. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  12. ^ Lely, Peter. "James II (1633–1701), as Duke of York". Art UK. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  13. ^ Van Dyke, Anthony. "Robert Creighton (1636/1637–1734), Bishop of Bath and Wells (1670–1672)". Art UK. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  14. ^ Hayward, Arthur. "Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville (1882–1949), GBE, GCB, KBE, KCB, CB, DSO". Art UK. Retrieved 5 December 2020.