- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
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1. The History
The building was commissioned to replace Sheffield's first town hall, which had opened in 1700 next to the parish church. The Old Town Hall was designed by Charles Watson and built in 1807–08. It was designed to house the Town Trustees and the Petty and Quarter Sessions. Initially building had five bays and faced Castle Street, however, it was extended in 1833 then again in 1866 to plans drawn up by Sheffield architect William Flockton (1804–64) and his partner George Abbott. The most grandiose feature was the new central clock tower over a new main entrance. At the same time the building's courtrooms were linked by underground passages to the neighbouring Sheffield Police Offices. The first Town Council was elected in 1843 and took over the lease of the Town Trustees' hall in 1866. The next year the building was extensively renovated and the clock tower designed by Flockton & Abbott was added although Flockton was no longer alive to witness its construction.
By the 1890s Sheffield's administration had again outgrown the building, and the current Sheffield Town Hall was built further south. The Old Town Hall was again extended in 1896–97, by the renamed Flockton, Gibbs & Flockton, and became Sheffield Crown Court and Sheffield High Court. The drinking fountain on the Castle Street side of the building was added at this time. In 1973 the Old Town Hall was made a Grade II listed building. In the 1990s the courts had moved to new premises just round the corner. Since 1997 the building has been empty and remains in a poor state. In 2008 the Victorian Society named the building as one of its top ten buildings most at-risk. More recently a campaign group, The Friends of the Old Town Hall was formed (in November 2014) with the aim of getting the building's owner G1 London Property to state its intention for its future use. In September 2015 the building was put for sale with an asking price of £2 million. The sale brochure was withdrawn from the internet after about ten days. It’s now currently back on the market again, this time with Fernie and Greaves but, strangely, does not appear on their website.
2. The Explore
Yet another “externals only” from Sheffield from me. This place will be familiar to a lot of you. And as anybody who has been round here in the past will know, entry has always been, erm how shall we put it, challenging to get into this place. Been watching it for ages and regret not being in a position to be able to take advantage when the place was presented on a plate. Since then it’s been heavily sealed. So admitting defeat, one day when I was in town with a bit of time on my hands, I decided I’d take some pictures of the outside on my phone. Given enough came out and it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting in this place in the near future, I thought I’d put up a report.
3. The Pictures
Law Courts 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 03bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
Some lovely stonework over the main entrance:
Law Courts 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 16 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 17 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A sneaky peek inside:
Law Courts 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And the legendary former ‘entry’ point no longer an option:
Law Courts 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pretty secure round this side:
Law Courts 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One for the peeling-paint fans:
Law Courts 10 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And another:
Law Courts 19 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Secure here too:
Law Courts 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Round the back, but no way in:
Law Courts 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 20 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Drain-pipe decay:
Law Courts 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 14 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The lovely late-1800s public fountain:
Law Courts 15 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And a final overall view of this Victorian gem:
Law Courts 18 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The building was commissioned to replace Sheffield's first town hall, which had opened in 1700 next to the parish church. The Old Town Hall was designed by Charles Watson and built in 1807–08. It was designed to house the Town Trustees and the Petty and Quarter Sessions. Initially building had five bays and faced Castle Street, however, it was extended in 1833 then again in 1866 to plans drawn up by Sheffield architect William Flockton (1804–64) and his partner George Abbott. The most grandiose feature was the new central clock tower over a new main entrance. At the same time the building's courtrooms were linked by underground passages to the neighbouring Sheffield Police Offices. The first Town Council was elected in 1843 and took over the lease of the Town Trustees' hall in 1866. The next year the building was extensively renovated and the clock tower designed by Flockton & Abbott was added although Flockton was no longer alive to witness its construction.
By the 1890s Sheffield's administration had again outgrown the building, and the current Sheffield Town Hall was built further south. The Old Town Hall was again extended in 1896–97, by the renamed Flockton, Gibbs & Flockton, and became Sheffield Crown Court and Sheffield High Court. The drinking fountain on the Castle Street side of the building was added at this time. In 1973 the Old Town Hall was made a Grade II listed building. In the 1990s the courts had moved to new premises just round the corner. Since 1997 the building has been empty and remains in a poor state. In 2008 the Victorian Society named the building as one of its top ten buildings most at-risk. More recently a campaign group, The Friends of the Old Town Hall was formed (in November 2014) with the aim of getting the building's owner G1 London Property to state its intention for its future use. In September 2015 the building was put for sale with an asking price of £2 million. The sale brochure was withdrawn from the internet after about ten days. It’s now currently back on the market again, this time with Fernie and Greaves but, strangely, does not appear on their website.
2. The Explore
Yet another “externals only” from Sheffield from me. This place will be familiar to a lot of you. And as anybody who has been round here in the past will know, entry has always been, erm how shall we put it, challenging to get into this place. Been watching it for ages and regret not being in a position to be able to take advantage when the place was presented on a plate. Since then it’s been heavily sealed. So admitting defeat, one day when I was in town with a bit of time on my hands, I decided I’d take some pictures of the outside on my phone. Given enough came out and it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting in this place in the near future, I thought I’d put up a report.
3. The Pictures
Law Courts 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 03bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
Some lovely stonework over the main entrance:
Law Courts 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 16 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 17 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A sneaky peek inside:
Law Courts 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And the legendary former ‘entry’ point no longer an option:
Law Courts 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pretty secure round this side:
Law Courts 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One for the peeling-paint fans:
Law Courts 10 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And another:
Law Courts 19 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Secure here too:
Law Courts 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Round the back, but no way in:
Law Courts 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 20 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Drain-pipe decay:
Law Courts 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Law Courts 14 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The lovely late-1800s public fountain:
Law Courts 15 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And a final overall view of this Victorian gem:
Law Courts 18 by HughieDW, on Flickr