{{Short description|Municipal building in Lydd, Kent, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Use British English|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Lydd Guildhall | native_name = | image = The Guildhall - geograph.org.uk - 5034800.jpg | caption = Lydd Guildhall | locmapin = Kent | map_caption =Shown in Kent | coordinates = {{coord | 50.9512|N| 0.9054|E|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | location =High Street, Lydd | area = | built =1792 | architect = | architecture = Neoclassical style | governing_body = | website= | designation1 =Grade II Listed Building | designation1_offname =The Guild Hall | designation1_date =28 November 1950 | designation1_number = 1338208 }} '''Lydd Guildhall''', also known as '''Lydd Town Hall'''<ref name=carp>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rc4WAQAAIAAJ |title=Romney Marsh at war|first= Edward|last= Carpenter|year= 1999|page=118|publisher=Sutton|isbn=978-0750922357|quote=Town Hall, Lydd, Kent to the people of Lydd, Dungeness & Greatstone. A little more than a year ago, we held our Salute the Soldier Week.}}</ref> and the '''Lydd Common House''',<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0CxKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA252 |title=Lydd Records|page=252|publisher=Archaeologia Cantiana |volume=13|year= 1880}}</ref> is a municipal building in the High Street, Lydd, Kent, England. The structure, which accommodates the offices and meeting place of Lydd Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.<ref name=listed>{{NHLE|desc= The Guild Hall |num=1338208|access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref>
==History== The building was designed in the neoclassical style, built in red brick and was completed in around 1792.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/lydd-gaol/|title=Lydd Gaol|publisher=Prison History|access-date=9 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SwEMAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA362 |title=The State of Prisons of England, Scotland and Wales |page=362|first=James|last= Neild |year=1812|publisher=John Nichols and Son|location=London|isbn=978-1108036993|quote=Lydd. Kent. The Town Gaol...This Prison, built in 1792, is under the Town-Hall}}</ref> Re-faced in the early 19th century, it featured six openings on the ground floor, all flanked by pilasters supporting brick voussoirs. The first floor was fenestrated by five sash windows and surmounted by a cornice with a tiled roof above. Internally, the principal rooms were a market hall on the ground floor, an assembly room on the first floor and a series of prison cells in the basement. From 1830, the prison cells were only used as a temporary lock-up for petty criminals.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y0oSAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA3-PA73 |title=Appendix to the Second Report on County Rates|publisher=House of Commons |page=73|year=1836}}</ref>
The building was a regular venue for coroners' court hearings:<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iHMvAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA72 |title=Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into Municipal Corporations Not Subject to the Municipal Corporations Acts|publisher=House of Commons|year=1880|page=72}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/research/monumental-inscriptions/cliffe |title=Chatham Man Drowned off Ramsgate|newspaper=Kent Messenger|date=6 November 1926|access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref> these hearings included the inquest into the deaths of 293 people who drowned, when the full-rigged ship, ''Northfleet'', sank in the English Channel in January 1873.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6nMEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA123 |title= The Loss of the Ship "Northfleet"|year=1873|publisher=Waterlow and Sons |page=123|isbn=978-3382817602}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thekilvertsociety.org.uk/assets/downloads/archive/kilvert-society-journal-4.pdf |page=13|title=Disaster off Dungeness|publisher=The Journal of The Kilvert Society|date=1 March 2001|access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref>
The borough council, which had met in the council chamber, was reformed under the Municipal Corporations Act 1883.<ref>{{cite book |title=Municipal Corporations Act 1883 (46 & 46 Vict. Ch. 18) |date=1883 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1883/18/pdfs/ukpga_18830018_en.pdf |access-date=26 March 2023}}</ref> Fund raising events held in the guildhall included a function in support of Salute the Soldier Week in March 1944 during the Second World War.<ref name=carp/> A colourful piece of calligraphy by Irene Wellington, listing all the bailiffs of the borough since ancient times, was installed in the guildhall in 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://snaccooperative.org/view/45899085 |title= Wellington, Irene|publisher= Social Networks and Archival Context|access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.patricialovett.com/findings-in-the-calligraphic-work-and-teachings-of-irene-wellington/ |title=Findings in the calligraphic work of Irene Wellington|publisher=Patricia Lovett| access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cinqueportsscribes.org.uk/galleries/regional-day-2005/ |title=Regional Day|year=2005|publisher=Cinque Port Scribes| access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref>
The building continued to serve as the meeting place of the borough council for much of the 20th century,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=45077|page=4122|date=10 April 1970}}</ref> but ceased to be local seat of government when the enlarged Folkestone and Hythe District Council was formed 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> However, it subsequently became the meeting place of Lydd Town Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lyddtowncouncil.gov.uk/ |title=Welcome|publisher=Lydd Town Council| access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Government buildings completed in 1792 Category:Lydd Category:Grade II listed buildings in Kent Category:City and town halls in Kent