Lichfield Guildhall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lichfield Guildhall |
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| Location | Lichfield, Staffordshire |
| Built | 1848 |
| Architect | Joseph Potter Jnr |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic-style |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated | 6 March 1970 |
| Reference no. | 1187740 |
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The Guildhall is a really old and important building in Bore Street in Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. It's so special that it's officially protected as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
Discovering the Guildhall's Past
The Guildhall gets its name from a very old group called the Guild of St Mary and St John the Baptist. Their original hall stood on this exact spot for a long time. We don't know exactly when the first Guildhall was built. But it was probably around 1387. This was when King Richard II officially approved the Guild.
Changes Through the Centuries
In 1547, King Edward VI stopped religious guilds. So, the Guildhall building then became the King's property. There's an old prison at the back of the building. It has been there since 1553. People who had broken the law were held here.
The Guildhall was rebuilt in 1707. It was made bigger in 1741. Most of the ground floor today, and the smaller rooms upstairs, are from the early 1700s.
A New Look in the 1800s
About a hundred years later, the building needed a lot of repairs. In 1844, a group called the Conduit Lands Trust agreed to help. They provided money to build a new Guildhall. The main hall and the front of the building were rebuilt between 1846 and 1848. This work was done by Joseph Potter Jnr.
This is when the building got its cool Gothic-style front facing Bore Street. The main hall on the first floor was also created then. This room is very long, about 87 feet. It has a high, pointed roof with special wooden beams. This gives it a fine medieval look.
Special Features of the Hall
At the north end of the main hall, there is a large stained-glass window. It was made by Betton & Evans of Shrewsbury. This window was originally in the Cathedral. It was moved to the Guildhall in 1891.
Outside, below the window, you can see stone carvings. These are of King George V and Queen Mary. There's also a plaque remembering their coronation.
The Guildhall Today
For most of the 1900s, the Guildhall was where the Lichfield City Council met. But in 1974, a new group, the Lichfield District Council, was formed. So, the Guildhall stopped being the main local government office.
However, the building is still used by the local parish council. This council is now known as Lichfield City Council.
Modern Uses and Events
Major repairs and updates were finished in 2010. These improvements helped restore the building. They also added better facilities for public use.
The main hall and other smaller rooms can be rented out. People use them for public meetings, dances, and other events. The Lichfield District Arts Association also holds concerts and art events here. You can even have civil marriages at the Guildhall!
The Guildhall is also used for important civic events. These include the old traditions of the Court of Arraye and St George's Court. The main hall can hold up to 195 people. The smaller Guildroom fits about 70 people. The Ashmole Room can hold 30 people.
Art and History in the Ashmole Room
The Ashmole Room inside the Guildhall has some important artworks. These include a portrait of a historian named Elias Ashmole. There's also a portrait of Mrs Esther Day by James Millar. Another portrait is of a member of the Dyott family from Freeford Hall. The artist for this one is unknown. The room also has a painting showing a view of Lichfield from the southwest. The artist of this view is also unknown.
