County Buildings, Stafford

County Buildings is a municipal facility at Martin Street in Stafford, Staffordshire. The building, which is the meeting place for Staffordshire County Council, is a Grade II* listed building.[1]

County Buildings, Stafford
The Martin Street frontage in 2015
LocationStafford, Staffordshire
Coordinates52.8069°N 2.1161°W / 52.8069; -2.1161
Built1895
ArchitectHenry Hare
Architectural style(s)Baroque revival style
Listed Building – Grade II*
Designated17 December 1971
Reference no.1298178
Location of County Buildings, Stafford in Staffordshire

History

In the 19th century the Shire Hall in Market Square became well established as the venue for judicial meetings and civic functions in the county.[2] Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, there was a need to find offices and a meeting place for Staffordshire County Council.[3] Council leaders decided to procure new county offices: the site they selected in Martin Street had previously been occupied by several a row of retail properties.[4]

The new County Buildings, which were designed by Henry Hare in the Baroque revival style, were completed in 1895.[5][6] The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage with fifteen bays facing onto the Martin Street; the central section of seven bays featured a doorway with an architrave and segmental pediment with mullioned windows on the first floor.[1] The left hand section, which slightly projected forward, featured a window split by Ionic order columns while the right hand section, which also slightly projected forward, featured a venetian window.[1] Internally, the principal room was the council chamber which featured plasterwork by Frederick Schenck as well as figures sculpted by William Aumonier.[1]

In April 2009 the council announced plans for a new headquarters in Tipping Street: the new offices were designed by 3DReid, built by Volker Fitzpatrick at a cost of £38 million and completed in October 2011.[7][8][9] The new offices were officially opened by the Countess of Wessex as "Staffordshire Place" in May 2013.[10]

Following the departure of council officers and their departments to Staffordshire Place, much of the office space in County Buildings was converted into a series of private residences known as "Martin Street Mansions".[11] However, the county council retained the main civic rooms and continued to hold full meetings of the county council in the council chamber.[12] The civic rooms in County Buildings were also made available for weddings and civil partnerships.[13]

See also

References
  1. Historic England. "County Buildings and Judges House, Stafford (1298178)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  2. Historic England. "Shire Hall and Attached Railings, Gates and Lamp Standards, Stafford (1298177)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  3. "Local Government Act 1888". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  4. "Ordnance Survey Map". 1881. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  5. "County Buildings". Staffordshire County Council. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  6. Pevsner, Nikolaus (1974). Staffordshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 244. ISBN 0-14-071046-9.
  7. "Staffordshire County Council HQ". E-Architect. 14 April 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  8. "Wraps off £38m Staffordshire County Council HQ". Express and Star. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  9. "Builders of council headquarters face compensation claim". BBC. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  10. "Men at work again after duchess officially opens beleaguered council HQ". Express and Star. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  11. Oakley, Tom. "Martin Street Mansions: See the ex-council offices turned into luxury apartments". Express and Star. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  12. "Agenda and draft minutes". Staffordshire County Council. 25 July 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  13. "County Buildings". Staffordshire Wedding. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
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