History
The Shire Hall in Chelmsford is an impressive Georgian building which still dominates Chelmsford city center. When it was built the Shire Hall was designed to permit meetings of the county council and other civic meetings, and house the assizes, the quarter sessions for the county and the petty sessions for the division.
During the 17th and 18th centuries Chelmsford was expanding and by 1779 it was clear that the buildings used as a Shire Hall was not fit for purpose. It was proposed that a new Shire Hall should be built. Plans were drawn up but not proceeded with.
Nine years later it was again up for discussion. John Johnson, the county surveyor and architect, was appointed to design and build the Shire Hall.
An Act of Parliament was passed so that a number of houses could be purchased for the site of the new hall and the necessary money could be raised through the rates. (29 George III, c.8 (1789),
Building soon commenced and by 1791 it was completed. In a square form, the building is fronted with white Portland stone with white Suffolk brick forming the rest; the ground floor is rusticated. There are four ionic columns supporting a pediment; and decorated with three bas-reliefs represent Justice, Wisdom and Mercy.
Usually for a building project, it came in under estimate by £2000. The next year the grateful members of the County Quarter Sessions voted that the architect be presented with a piece of plate to the value of 100 guineas 'as a public testimony of his integrity and professional abilities'.
Inside the building on the ground floor was an open area designed to be used as a corn exchange, and then two courts with a jury room and other rooms for the administration of the courts. On the next floor served by a flight of stairs was a elegant assembly room, full length of the building with a music gallery. This was used for balls and other social events, civic meetings, and also served as a court if there were an excessive numbers of prisoners. A number of much smaller rooms were on the top floor.
The use of the ground floor as a Corn Exchange was found not to be practical and the merchants complained of the poor light as they tried to examine the corn. In 1857 a new Corn Exchange was built nearby.
There were alterations made to the Shire Hall during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries as required, but many of the original rooms can still be identified. It is still the largest ballroom in Essex.
The three central arches of the new building led into a large hall, which replaced the old Market Cross and functioned as market space and corn exchange. Beyond the market hall at the back of the ground floor Nisi Prius and Crown Courts, and a retiring room for judges. A grand staircase lit by a glazed dome led out of the market hall up to the grand jury room and the ‘county room’ or ballroom, which took up the whole of the front of the first floor. There was also a small waiting room for witnesses and an office for the Clerk of the Peace and his records. The building’s façade included three emblematic figures by John Bacon, representing mercy, wisdom and justice.
On 22 February 1856 the Shire Hall was the scene of tragedy. A large crowd thronged into the Shire Hall to view the controversial trial of five men charged with murder committed while poaching. Because of the public interest the court was being held upstairs in the assembly room.
People pushed and shoved to try and get into the court. Such was the throng on the third flight of stairs that the stair balustrades gave way, and then the stone stairs themselves broke away from the wall. People and masonry tumbled down onto the flight of steps below and the people on them.
When the area was finally cleared, a body of an 18 year old youth was found. Four others were seriously injured and many others suffered minor injuries.
As the stairs were now destroyed, the court, witnesses and the prisoners, had to make their way out via a window onto to the roof of a nearby building and then down by ladder.
Hundreds of thousands of cases have since been heard in the court rooms of Shire Hall since that time, including witchcraft trials in which women were sentenced to be burned alive, and trials which sentenced people to transportation for what would now be considered minor offences.
Shire Hall has also been the focal point of many grand occasions in Chelmsford. Not least of these were the judges’ processions which opened the Assizes each year (where the most serious cases were heard). This was a tradition that continued until the late nineteenth century; prolific photographer and Mayor of Chelmsford Fred Spalding, reminisced in the 1930s
The exterior of the building is little changed today; the west side was extended in 1851, and the east side remodeled in 1903-06
The interior, however, underwent more radical changes in 1935-6, when the lobby, courts, picture room and stairwell were substantially reconstructed by the County Architect J. Stuart, bringing in Art Deco aspects. These features are today considered to be an essential part of the building’s architectural character, but they were not universally accepted at the time.
The Shire Hall is an important focal point in Chelmsford’s history, and in the present cityscape. Listed at Grade II*, it is recognized as a building of great significance.
This place closed down in 2012, when a new magistrates court was built just up the road and has sat empty ever since
The explore
After a night of heavy drinking on chelmsfords high street a few of us were heading home in the early hours when we walked past this place and thought why have we not tried this.
A quick lap round and we found access.
This is very local to me we all met up the next morning and walked down.
Access was very easy but in full view of the now busy high street and lots of the high street cameras.
Rushing round snapping pics like loons keeping an eye out the windows expecting police any second.
This place was huge so much to see.
There had been lots of talk on a local facebook page about a disused cell block and a tunnel that lead under the road to the former police station round the corner in the basement.
after hunting around we could not find anything then we spotted a hatch in the floor or the duty solicitors room. This lifted out and was a false floor built over an old staircase. So down we went was only a few rooms unfortunately the cell doors were removed and gone. Found the tunnel that lead up the street but had been bricked up at the end.
Back in 2009 had the privilege of the cells and court one (not by choice) so knew what to expect there but the ballroom was a complete surprise
This place was a great explore for me with lots of local history had not been trashed in anyway.
Since closing in 2012 nothing had happened to this place.
Decay has rapidly set in across every room most are crumbling and falling apart thick layers of dust cover all rooms.
Finally after a hour or so all 3 of us piled out getting lots of funny looks
luckily didn't get caught as the police station is less than 1 min away.
At the time of posting this report nothing has happened still stands empty.
former police station over the road now a night club and offices
The Shire Hall in Chelmsford is an impressive Georgian building which still dominates Chelmsford city center. When it was built the Shire Hall was designed to permit meetings of the county council and other civic meetings, and house the assizes, the quarter sessions for the county and the petty sessions for the division.
During the 17th and 18th centuries Chelmsford was expanding and by 1779 it was clear that the buildings used as a Shire Hall was not fit for purpose. It was proposed that a new Shire Hall should be built. Plans were drawn up but not proceeded with.
Nine years later it was again up for discussion. John Johnson, the county surveyor and architect, was appointed to design and build the Shire Hall.
An Act of Parliament was passed so that a number of houses could be purchased for the site of the new hall and the necessary money could be raised through the rates. (29 George III, c.8 (1789),
Building soon commenced and by 1791 it was completed. In a square form, the building is fronted with white Portland stone with white Suffolk brick forming the rest; the ground floor is rusticated. There are four ionic columns supporting a pediment; and decorated with three bas-reliefs represent Justice, Wisdom and Mercy.
Usually for a building project, it came in under estimate by £2000. The next year the grateful members of the County Quarter Sessions voted that the architect be presented with a piece of plate to the value of 100 guineas 'as a public testimony of his integrity and professional abilities'.
Inside the building on the ground floor was an open area designed to be used as a corn exchange, and then two courts with a jury room and other rooms for the administration of the courts. On the next floor served by a flight of stairs was a elegant assembly room, full length of the building with a music gallery. This was used for balls and other social events, civic meetings, and also served as a court if there were an excessive numbers of prisoners. A number of much smaller rooms were on the top floor.
The use of the ground floor as a Corn Exchange was found not to be practical and the merchants complained of the poor light as they tried to examine the corn. In 1857 a new Corn Exchange was built nearby.
There were alterations made to the Shire Hall during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries as required, but many of the original rooms can still be identified. It is still the largest ballroom in Essex.
The three central arches of the new building led into a large hall, which replaced the old Market Cross and functioned as market space and corn exchange. Beyond the market hall at the back of the ground floor Nisi Prius and Crown Courts, and a retiring room for judges. A grand staircase lit by a glazed dome led out of the market hall up to the grand jury room and the ‘county room’ or ballroom, which took up the whole of the front of the first floor. There was also a small waiting room for witnesses and an office for the Clerk of the Peace and his records. The building’s façade included three emblematic figures by John Bacon, representing mercy, wisdom and justice.
On 22 February 1856 the Shire Hall was the scene of tragedy. A large crowd thronged into the Shire Hall to view the controversial trial of five men charged with murder committed while poaching. Because of the public interest the court was being held upstairs in the assembly room.
People pushed and shoved to try and get into the court. Such was the throng on the third flight of stairs that the stair balustrades gave way, and then the stone stairs themselves broke away from the wall. People and masonry tumbled down onto the flight of steps below and the people on them.
When the area was finally cleared, a body of an 18 year old youth was found. Four others were seriously injured and many others suffered minor injuries.
As the stairs were now destroyed, the court, witnesses and the prisoners, had to make their way out via a window onto to the roof of a nearby building and then down by ladder.
Hundreds of thousands of cases have since been heard in the court rooms of Shire Hall since that time, including witchcraft trials in which women were sentenced to be burned alive, and trials which sentenced people to transportation for what would now be considered minor offences.
Shire Hall has also been the focal point of many grand occasions in Chelmsford. Not least of these were the judges’ processions which opened the Assizes each year (where the most serious cases were heard). This was a tradition that continued until the late nineteenth century; prolific photographer and Mayor of Chelmsford Fred Spalding, reminisced in the 1930s
The exterior of the building is little changed today; the west side was extended in 1851, and the east side remodeled in 1903-06
The interior, however, underwent more radical changes in 1935-6, when the lobby, courts, picture room and stairwell were substantially reconstructed by the County Architect J. Stuart, bringing in Art Deco aspects. These features are today considered to be an essential part of the building’s architectural character, but they were not universally accepted at the time.
The Shire Hall is an important focal point in Chelmsford’s history, and in the present cityscape. Listed at Grade II*, it is recognized as a building of great significance.
This place closed down in 2012, when a new magistrates court was built just up the road and has sat empty ever since
The explore
After a night of heavy drinking on chelmsfords high street a few of us were heading home in the early hours when we walked past this place and thought why have we not tried this.
A quick lap round and we found access.
This is very local to me we all met up the next morning and walked down.
Access was very easy but in full view of the now busy high street and lots of the high street cameras.
Rushing round snapping pics like loons keeping an eye out the windows expecting police any second.
This place was huge so much to see.
There had been lots of talk on a local facebook page about a disused cell block and a tunnel that lead under the road to the former police station round the corner in the basement.
after hunting around we could not find anything then we spotted a hatch in the floor or the duty solicitors room. This lifted out and was a false floor built over an old staircase. So down we went was only a few rooms unfortunately the cell doors were removed and gone. Found the tunnel that lead up the street but had been bricked up at the end.
Back in 2009 had the privilege of the cells and court one (not by choice) so knew what to expect there but the ballroom was a complete surprise
This place was a great explore for me with lots of local history had not been trashed in anyway.
Since closing in 2012 nothing had happened to this place.
Decay has rapidly set in across every room most are crumbling and falling apart thick layers of dust cover all rooms.
Finally after a hour or so all 3 of us piled out getting lots of funny looks
luckily didn't get caught as the police station is less than 1 min away.
At the time of posting this report nothing has happened still stands empty.
former police station over the road now a night club and offices
