{{Short description|Municipal building in Harwich, Essex, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Use British English|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Harwich Guildhall | native_name = | image = Harwich Guildhall.jpg | caption = Harwich Guildhall | locmapin = Essex | map_caption =Shown in Essex | coordinates = {{coord | 51.9459|N| 1.2879|E|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | location =Church Street, Harwich | area = | built =1769 | architect = | architecture = Georgian style | governing_body = | website= | designation1 =Grade I Listed Building | designation1_offname = Guildhall | designation1_date =25 September 1951 | designation1_number = 1298482 }} '''Harwich Guildhall''' is a municipal building in Church Street, Harwich, Essex, England. The structure, which accommodates the offices of Harwich Town Council, is a Grade I listed building.<ref name=listed>{{NHLE|desc= Guildhall |num=1298482|access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref>
==History== The first building on the site was a public house known as "The Bear", which dated back to at least the mid-17th century. It was acquired by Harwich Borough Council, when the council relocated from an earlier guildhall in St Austin's Gate, in 1673. The current building was designed in the Georgian style, built in red brick with stone dressings and was completed in 1769.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harwich-society.co.uk/the-guildhall/ |title=The Guildhall|publisher=The Harwich Society| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref>
The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of three bays facing onto Church Street. The central bay contained an doorway with an ogee-shaped fanlight, flanked by elaborate pilasters, described by English Heritage as being in the style of Batty Langley, which supported an open pediment. There was an aedicula containing a stained glass window on the first floor and a Royal coat of arms surmounted by a curved pediment on the second floor. The outer bays, which were canted, were fenestrated by sash windows with keystones on all three floors. At roof level, there was a parapet which was embellished with a series of recessed panels. Internally, the principal room was the council chamber, which was panelled, on the first floor. There was also a mayor's parlour, which contained the civic regalia and the official brass yard, on the first floor,<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.harwichandmanningtreestandard.co.uk/news/18168642.hidden-treasures-harwich-guildhall/ |title=Hidden treasures of the Harwich Guildhall |date=19 January 2020| newspaper=Harwich and Manningtree Standard| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> and a "carvings room", which contained elaborate carvings which had been created by petty criminals when they were incarcerated in the room, on the ground floor.<ref name=tc>{{cite web|url=https://www.harwichtowncouncil.co.uk/the-guildhall/ |title=The Guildhall|publisher= Harwich Town Council| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref>
The building continued to serve as the meeting place of Harwich Borough Council throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century,<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SNjCTJ8IYKYC |title=The Municipal Year Book and Public Utilities Directory |year=1934|page=126|quote=Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich – Town Clerk}}</ref> but ceased to be local seat of government when the borough council moved to the former Great Eastern Railway Hotel at Harwich Quay in October 1951.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harwich-history.co.uk/harwich-quay/|title=Harwich Quay|publisher=A Brief History of Harwich|first=Philip|last=Cone| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> However, following local government re-organisation in 1974,<ref>{{cite book|title=Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70|publisher=The Stationery Office Ltd|isbn=0-10-547072-4|year=1997}}</ref> the guildhall became the meeting place of Harwich Town Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harwichtowncouncil.co.uk/committees/ |title=Council meetings, agendas and minutes|publisher= Harwich Town Council| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> An extensive programme of refurbishment works was carried out at the guildhall between August 1975 and April 1977.<ref>{{cite sign|title=Sign on the right hand side of the central doorway}}</ref>
In February 2000, the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, visited the guildhall,<ref name=tc/><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5517432.essex-archbishops-visit/ |title= Essex: Archbishop's visit |date=1 February 2000|newspaper=Daily Gazette and Essex County Standard| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> and, in November 2004, Queen Elizabeth II visited the building to mark the 400th anniversary of the granting of a royal charter to the town.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://thethreecups.com/royal-visits |title= A Right Royal Stopover|publisher= The Three Cups | access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.harwichandmanningtreestandard.co.uk/news/18397749.pictures-looking-back-royal-family-member-visits/ |title= Looking back at royal family member visits|date=23 April 2020|newspaper=Harwich and Manningtree Standard| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref>
Works of art in the town hall include a portrait by William Owen of the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/nicholas-vansittart-1st-baron-bexley-high-steward-and-mp-for-harwich-chancellor-of-the-exchequer-17661851-3518 |title= Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley, High Steward and MP for Harwich, Chancellor of the Exchequer (1766–1851)|first=William|last=Owen|publisher=Art UK| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> a portrait by Frederick George Cotman of Alderman William Groom<ref>{{cite web|url= https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/alderman-william-groom-kd-cc-jp-vr-3519 |title= Alderman William Groom, KD, CC, JP, VR|first= Frederick George|last= Cotman|publisher=Art UK| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> and a portrait by an unnamed artist of King Charles II.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/charles-ii-16301685-3521 |title= Charles II (1630–1685) |publisher=Art UK| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> Other artefacts in the building include the ship's bell from the passenger ferry, SS ''Brussels'', which was registered at Harwich but was captured by the Imperial German Navy in June 1916 during the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harwich-society.co.uk/new-virtual-tour-of-harwichs-guildhall-created-for-national-heritage-weekend/ |title=New virtual tour of Harwich’s Guildhall created for National Heritage Weekend|date=11 September 2020|publisher=The Harwich Society| access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref>
==See also== * Grade I listed buildings in Essex
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Government buildings completed in 1769 Category:Harwich Category:Grade I listed buildings in Essex Category:City and town halls in Essex