The County HallArchitectural excellence has been said to consist in the judicious and skilful adaptation of an edifice to its specific destination, and in the appropriate and tasteful display of its interior and exterior ornaments, and that public buildings should be distinguished by decisive and apposite characteristic features of their purpose. How far this has been exemplified in the Salop County Hall, the foregoing illustrative vignette will in a great measure decide. The design is by Sir Robert Smirke, and the style Italian; the main feature of the elevation being a bold cornice resting on sculptured modillons.

The principal front is divided into three divisions by projecting string courses, and is 112½ feet in length; the portion facing High-street, 58 feet; height to the top of parapet 54 feet.

On examining the interior of the structure, it will be evident that the architect has made the most of a very limited space of ground: the different apartments are convenient, lofty, and well adapted to the various purposes for which they are intended. The offices in particular, although plain, are fitted up in a most substantial manner.

The entrance hall is 22 feet 8 inches by 21½ feet, having on the right a lobby leading to the crown court, and a room for the use of witnesses waiting for examination in that court. On the left is a similar entrance to the nisi prius court, and the mayor’s room (appropriated to counsel during the assizes). Opposite the entrance door is the grand staircase, spacious and of easy ascent; on the first landing are three doorways, the centre one leading to the judges’ retiring room (which communicates with the courts), and those on either hand to the magisterial bench in the respective courts, which are of equal dimensions, 42 feet by 36 feet. [114]

The accommodation for the gentlemen of the bar was intended to have been similar to that provided (under the direction of the same architect) in the Court of King’s Bench and several other places; but objections being made by the counsel on this circuit, and a petition sent to the magistrates, this arrangement was altered, and the space immediately before the judge is occupied by a large table, with sufficient seats for twenty counsellors, having a row of seats behind for attornies.

The bench is elevated 3½ feet above the floor, on each side of which is accommodation for the magistrates.

The ceiling of both courts is panelled and ornamented, and the walls are lined with wood as high as the small side galleries, which are intended for the use of the grand and special jurors.

In each court is a gallery for the public, the two front benches of which are partitioned off for jurymen in waiting. To these galleries are separate entrances from the principal front, in order to prevent the annoyance of a crowd in the vestibule of the hall, through which admittance will be afforded for those persons who have business in the courts.

Under the public galleries are lock-up rooms for the jury.

The nisi prius court is lighted by a lantern, which occupies a considerable space in the ceiling; and beneath the public gallery of this court is the waiting-room for witnesses. The first story is approached by a broad flight of stairs: on the left is the grand jury room, 30 feet by 18 feet, lofty and finished in a tasteful manner, having a communication with the gallery in the crown court for the presentment of bills. Attached to this apartment is a large room for witnesses attending the grand jury; the floor is of stone, and forms the ceiling of the entrance hall. To the right is the office of the clerk of indictments.

From this division of the building the staircase leads to the entrance of the Great Room, adapted for a third court or other public purposes requiring space. It is decorated with an enriched cornice and panelled ceiling; the dimensions are 45½ feet by 32½ feet, and 19 feet high, having a recess at one end; it is lighted by windows at the side and back, and is well ventilated by means of tubes which pass from the ceiling through the roof.

By another ascent of steps the upper floor is gained. To the left are offices for the clerk of the peace, with a fire-proof room as a depositary for records. Similar rooms to the right are appropriated for the town clerk.

In the rear of the building is a house for the hall-keeper, resting over an entrance intended as a passage for the cart conveying prisoners from the gaol, where they are set down in an area having stairs leading to spacious and airy cells; these, with cellars for other purposes, occupy a considerable portion of the base of the building, which stands upon a concrete foundation, 10 feet thick, rendered necessary (from the insufficient state of the ground) to support the weight of a massive structure. In excavating for this purpose, many curiosities were found; and although the required depth was 19 feet below the level of the street, the natural strata was not discovered, the whole bed being a complete bog of peaty soil of unequal depth,—a sufficient cause for all the fissures visible for several years past in the external and internal walls of the former fabric, which was only completed in 1785, at a cost of £11,000.

In 1832, Thomas Telford, Esq. was requested to examine the nature of the foundations, when it appeared that the oak sapling piles, or rather stakes, on which the building rested were totally decayed, and become as soft as the earth by which they were surrounded. To restore the walls to a sound state was deemed a difficult and expensive undertaking, even if practicable. A new building was therefore determined upon, Sir Robert Smirke having guaranteed a sufficient foundation on the old site, by taking out the whole of the soil, and replacing it by an artificial body of concrete. His plan was adopted by the county magistrates, Jan. 28th, 1834, and in the month of April workmen commenced taking down the old edifice, [116] and the new building progressed towards completion so as to be ready by March, 1837.

The foundations appear to have succeeded beyond the expectations of all concerned, and the building does great credit to the contractors, Messrs. Birch and Sons. The estimated cost is about £12,000, raised by a county rate.