Sheffield Town Hall

History

The current building, commissioned to replace the Old Town Hall, was designed by the London-based architect Edward William Mountford in the Renaissance Revival style and constructed between 1890 and 1897. The building was opened by Queen Victoria, using a remote control lock from her carriage, on 21 May 1897. The turning of the key in the lock triggered a light in the building which was the signal for three concealed men to open the gates.

An extension designed by F. E. P. Edwards was opened by the Prince of Wales on 29 May 1923.

The gardens were first laid out in 1938, following the demolition of St Paul's Church. Originally named St Paul's Gardens, they were immediately nicknamed the "Peace Gardens", marking the contemporary signing of the Munich Agreement.

An extension designed in the Brutalist style was added to the east of the Peace Gardens in 1977; nicknamed The Egg-Box after its appearance, it was demolished in 2002.

Exterior

The design of the exterior echoed to a certain extent the architecture of the adjacent St. Paul's Church of 1720 (now demolished). During construction, the building was criticised for its expensive embellishments. The exterior is built of Stoke stone from the Stoke Hall Quarry in Grindleford, Derbyshire and is decorated with carvings by F. W. Pomeroy. but bells were never installed in the clock-tower so they remained unused. In 2002 an electronic bell sound system was added to provide hourly strikes and Westminster-style quarter chimes.

Interior

The entry contains displays relating to HMS Sheffield and leads to the Main Entrance Hall with a grand marble staircase. This also has an Electrolier an electric chandelier, part of the original lighting of the building. The walls include friezes including a depiction of the slaying of the Dragon of Wharncliffe. On the first landing is a statue of the first Lord Mayor Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk.

The first floor has a gallery running its length which can be divided into four sections by means of powered oak panels descending from the ceiling. The south room is the Lord Mayor's Parlour which is kept permanently divided.

File:Sheffield-town-hall-first-lord-mayor-statue.jpg|Statue of the first Lord Mayor of Sheffield File:Sheffield-town-hall-staircase.jpg|Staircase at Sheffield Town Hall decorated for Christmas File:HMS Sheffield plaque, Sheffield Town Hall.jpg|HMS Sheffield plaque 1941 File:Sheffield Town Hall stairs.JPG|Staircase, with statue of the first Lord Mayor File:Wharncliffe Dragon.JPG|Slaying the Wharncliffe dragon File:Sheffield Town Hall Electrolier Oct 2017.jpg|Electrolier File:Sheffield Mayors Parlour.JPG|Lord Mayor's Parlour File:Sheffield Town Hall Council.jpg|Council Chamber File:Sheffield Town Hall Council sign.jpg|Above the door to the Council Chamber File:Sheffield Town Hall Council Chamber.jpg|Council Chambers File:Sheffield Town Hall Mayors Parlour Room.jpg|Mayors Parlour Room File:Sheffield Town Hall Stairs.jpg|Main stairs

References

References

1. {{NHLE
2. "Town Hall". Sheffield City Council.
3. (2004). "Sheffield". [[Yale University Press]].
4. (22 May 2019). "Can you remember the 'Egg Box' – and when Sheffield's Peace Gardens used to look like this?". The Star.
5. "St Paul's Church, Sheffield". Chris Hobbs.
6. (2006). "Potts of Leeds: Five Generations of Clockmakers". Mayfield Books.
7. (10 December 2002). "Electronic bells to ring in change at town hall". Yorkshire Post.
8. "HMS Sheffield Memorial Plaque". Imperial War Museum.
9. "Detail of an electrolier in the staircase hall of Sheffield Town Hall". Historic England.
10. Anderton, Anne. (16 September 2017). "Discovering Intérieurs Anglais: The Art of Bedford Lemere & Co.".
11. "Sheffield Town Hall;Statue of the 15th Duke of Norfolk". The Courtauld Gallery.
12. (1833). "The Baptist Magazine". Baptist Missionary Society.