Information for record number MWA540:
Alcester Town Hall, Henley Street, Alcester

Summary Alcester Town Hall, a building originally constructed during the 17th century as a market hall.
What Is It?  
Type: Market Hall, Town Hall
Period: Imperial - Modern (1618 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Alcester
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 09 57
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Listed Building (Grade: I)
Sites & Monuments Record
Picture(s) attached

  
Description

  
Source Number  

10 Town Hall circa 1618, upper storey completed and dated 1641 on a tie beam; arcades filled in 1873. Ground floor built by Simon White of Chipping Camden. Ground floor of regular coursed lias, with yellow limestone columns and arches, moulded string course and dressings. Arcades filled in with regular coursed stone. Upper floor timber framed with 20th century rendering. Old tile roof, patched with recent tile; two brick ridge chimneys. Two storeys; six by two bays. Ground floor: Arcade of six round arches with keystones, and short baseless Tuscan columns with pronounced entasis. Identical entrances in first and last bays have 19th century four-panelled doors and fanlights with glazing bars, in Gibbs surrounds and arch with keystone. round arched windows with glazing bars in similar surrounds. First floor has horizontal sliding sashes above first, third and fifth arches. Right return side: ground floor has similar windows. 19th century wood three-light mullioned and transomed windows on first floor. Left return side has single arch and window to right. On left blind three-light stone mullioned window, largely renewed. Rear similar to front, but of five arches only. In place of sixth arch a broad plank door under a 19th century four-centred arch, with a three-light stone mullion window above and to the left. Interior: Ground floor is a single room with moulded ceiling beams and cast iron pillars. Former lock-up in south-west bay. 17th and 20th century staircases. First floor has five-bay hall open to roof. Octagonal moulded wall posts. Hammer beam roof, formerly queen post trusses with central section of moulded tie beams cut away. Curved braces and additional collar with queen struts. Longitudinal rib between collars. Late 17th to early 18th century double-leaf eight-panelled doors. 20th century fireplace. A plaque on the exterior records that the Town Hall was bought from the Lord of the Manor, the Marquess of Hertford, by public subscription in 1919 as a War Memorial. Formerly a Scheduled Monument Warwickshire No.45.
1 A two storied building of 17th century date. The lower story consists of a stone colonnade, filled in in 1873, and was built around 1618, in which year Sir Fulke Grenville, lord of the Manor, gave 300 pounds to build a Market House for the town. It was originally intended to build the whole in stone, but this was found to be too costly and it was decided to make the upper story of timber. This was not completed until 1641. The architect for the lower part was Simon White of Chipping Campden, who agreed to make 18 pillars for the colonade in his quarry there. The rest of the stone was from local quarries. The sides have six bays, the ends two bays, but the Southwest bay is solid. All the arches have been walled up. The upper story has original timber work covered in plaster. The windows are modern.
3 A plaque affixed to the Town Hall notes 'rebuilt 1641'. The upper storey has been recently renewed.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 3, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1945
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 3
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Buildings of England: Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pevsner N and Wedgwood A
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Warwicks
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: LBL
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1985
Page Number: 67
Volume/Sheet: Stratford-on-Avon We
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Alcester Town Hall
Author/originator: English Heritage
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Alcester Town Hall
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1985
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 10
Source Type: Statuatory List
Title: National Heritage List for England
Author/originator: Historic England
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: OS Card 25NE6
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1968
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: SMR card: photograph
Author/originator:
Date: 2005
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: The Town Hall, Alcester
Author/originator: Ministry of Works/DoE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: SAM list 1986
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1986
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 68
   
Images:  
Alcester Town Hall, Alcester
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1978
Click here for larger image  
 
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Scheduled Monument Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.

SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
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designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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source LBL Listed Building List. Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a list. Buildings placed on the list are protected through various planning and conservation acts which ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them. The Listed Buildings List is compiled and maintained by English Heritage. It includes details of where the building is, when it was built, a description of its appearance, and any other special features. back
source OS Card Ordnance Survey Record Card. Before the 1970s the Ordnance Survey (OS) were responsible for recording archaeological monuments during mapping exercises. This helped the Ordnance Survey to decide which monuments to publish on maps. During these exercises the details of the monuments were written down on record cards. Copies of some of the cards are kept at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. The responsibility for recording archaeological monuments later passed to the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments. back
source SMR Card Sites and Monuments Record Card. The Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record began to be developed during the 1970s. The details of individual archaeological sites and findspots were written on record cards. These record cards were used until the 1990s, when their details were entered on to a computerised system. The record cards are still kept at the office of the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
source SAM List Scheduled Ancient Monument List. A list or schedule of archaelogical and historic monuments that are considered to be of national importance. The list contains a detailed description of each Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) and a map showing their location and extent. By being placed on the schedule, SAMs are protected by law from any unauthorised distrubance. The list has been compiled and is maintained by English Heritage. It is updated periodically. back
period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period Imperial 1751 AD to 1914 AD (end of the 18th century AD to the beginning of the 20th century AD)

This period comes after the Post Medieval period and before the modern period and starts with beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. It includes the second part of the Hannoverian period (1714 – 1836) and the Victorian period (1837 – 1901). The Imperial period ends with the start of the First World War in 1914.
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument COLONNADE * A row of columns supporting an entablature. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument LOCK * A section of the water channel on a canal or river shut off above and below by lock gates provided with sluices to let the water out and in, and thus raise or lower boats from one level to another. Use more specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument MARKET HOUSE * A market building, pre-19th century, incorporating other function rooms, eg. theatres, courtrooms, schoolrooms. back
monument WAR MEMORIAL * A structure, building or site commemorating soldiers and civilians killed in war. back
monument MANOR * An area of land consisting of the lord's demesne and of lands from whose holders he may exact certain fees, etc. back
monument WOOD * A tract of land with trees, sometimes acting as a boundary or barrier, usually smaller and less wild than a forest. back
monument COLUMN * Use for free standing column. back
monument HAMMER * A machine in which a heavy block of metal is used for beating, breaking or driving something. back
monument TOWN HALL * A large building used for the transaction of the public business of a town, the holding of courts of justice, entertainments and other activities. back
monument ROUND * A small, Iron Age/Romano-British enclosed settlement found in South West England. back
monument PLAQUE * An ornamental, commemorative tablet. Use with materials field when indexing. back
monument MARKET HALL * A purpose built covered market hall, usually 19th century, although earlier examples do exist, eg. that at Abingdon, Oxfordshire c.1680. back
monument POUND * A pen, often circular and stone-walled, for rounding up livestock. back
monument QUARRY * An excavation from which stone for building and other functions, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc. back
monument CHIMNEY * Chimney used on an industrial or commercial site. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument TOWN * An assemblage of public and private buildings, larger than a village and having more complete and independent local government. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record