Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Shire Hall including Branch Library and Museum
Presteigne, Powys, Wales
A Grade II* listed building in Presteigne, Powys, designated on 28 November 1950.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II*
- Broad class
- Civil
- Date of designation
- 28 November 1950
- Locality
- Presteigne
- Community
- Presteigne
- Unitary authority
- Powys
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.27380, -3.00520
- Cadw reference
- 8845
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1637 map "Particular description of Wales. Cambria seu Wallia" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1637 · Particular description of Wales. Cambria seu Wallia (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV.Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. a. England ab sich: Shire:15-17, 33 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1899 · 180 Knighton (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 14. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Wide neo-classical public building set into slope.
History
1826-29. By Edward Haycock of Shrewsbury. (Cost £5,570). Replacement building for the Old Shire Hall (formerly on corner of High Street) and provided with court room, judge's lodgings, administrative offices, etc.
Court room first used on 24th August 1829 and closed for assizes in 1970.
Exterior
2 storey and basement 9 bay composition with tetrastyle Tuscan frontispiece flanked by ground floor loggias (alterations to original scheme). Stucco on stone work, rubble to rear, slate roofs, projecting eaves cornice linked to pediment, blind panels over tall double hung sash windows in centre bays. 3 bay wings set back with Tuscan columns and plain entablatures to loggias, original ironwork railings and doorways in return angles of forecourts. Twin hipped rear wings.
Interior
Simple interiors with restrained classical detailing; dog-leg staircase with plain handrail, court room with deep coved ceilling and some decorative plaster work, 6-panel doors in panelled reveals etc. Much of the court room furniture is thought to be later in date. Vaulted cells (now partly occupied by museum) survive from the old goal on the site.
Reason for designation
Group value.
Nearby in the register
- Clarence HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- The Old ManseDomesticunder 1 mi
- 11 & 12 Broad StreetDomesticunder 1 mi
- CroesawDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.