{{Short description|Municipal building in Chard, Somerset, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox historic site | name = The Guildhall | native_name = | native_language = | image = The Guildhall, Chard (geograph 3627172).jpg | caption = The Guildhall in 2013 | type = | locmapin = Somerset | coordinates = {{coord|50.8725|-2.9646|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | location = Chard, Somerset, England | area = | built = 1834-35 | architect = Richard Carver | architecture = Classical style | governing_body = | owner = | designation1 = Grade II* listed building | designation1_offname = The Guildhall | designation1_date = 24 March 1950 | designation1_number = 1197456 }} '''The Guildhall''' is a town hall and community building in the town of Chard in the English county of Somerset.
==History== The Guildhall was built between 1834 and 1835 to replace the town's original 16th century guildhall and market house.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/downloads/eus/Somerset_EUS_Chard.pdf|page=17|title=Somerset Extensive Urban Survey - Chard Archaeological Assessment|first=Clare|last= Gathercole|year=2002|publisher=Somerset Heritage|access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref> Owing to the inconvenient position of the original hall at Fore Street, the decision to erect a replacement was finalised in 1833.<ref name="historicengland1">{{NHLE|num=1197456 |desc=The Guildhall, Chard Town |date=24 March 1950 |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{PastScape|mnumber=191439 |mname=Guildhall |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref> The foundation stone of the new hall was laid on 20 December 1834.<ref>''Western Flying Post, or Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury'' - 29 December 1834 - page 3</ref> Designed by the local architect Richard Carver of Taunton in the Classical style, it originally incorporated a town hall, market house and butchery, and cost over £3,000 to build.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Lg6h0x8cyYC&q=%22market+house%22+chard&pg=PA548 |title=Topographical Dictionary of England|first=Samuel|last= Lewis|publisher=S. Lewis & Co|page=548 |year=1848 |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref> The building, which also served as the local corn exchange, first opened on 21 September 1835.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7vcGAAAAQAAJ&q=%22market+house%22+chard+1835&pg=PA229 |title=The Book of the Axe |first= George Philip R.|last= Pulman |publisher=Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans |year=1854 |page=229|access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref>
The guildhall clock was manufactured by A. Payne,<ref name="Museum">{{cite web |title=Chard Town Hall |url=https://www.chardmuseum.co.uk/bpw-1/chard-town-hall |website=Chard Museum |access-date=21 April 2023}}</ref> and installed to celebrate the accession of Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837;<ref name=clock>{{cite web|url=https://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/news/1972648.guildhall-clock-to-get-its-tummy-back/|title=Guildhall clock to get its 'tummy' back|date=17 January 2008|publisher=Chard and Ilminster News|access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref> it strikes the hours and chimes the quarters on two bells.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 'Leaning' Clock |url=https://www.chardmuseum.co.uk/courses/%27leaning%27-clock |website=Chard Museum |access-date=10 March 2025}}</ref> The building has been Grade II* listed since 1950.<ref name="historicengland1"/>
Much of the building's interior was remodelled around 1970,<ref name="historicengland1"/> with the entire building later undergoing renovation work between 1998 and 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/7200334.leaning-tower-of-chard/|title=Leaning tower of Chard|date=16 October 2002|newspaper=Country Gazette|access-date=31 January 2021}}</ref> The weather vane on top of the building, which is {{convert|7|feet}} high and weighs {{convert|32|stone}} was taken down for restoration by a local blacksmith in spring 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/7204713.weather-vane-down/|title=Weather vane down|date=20 February 2002|publisher=Somerset County Gazette|access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref>
The guildhall was the meeting place of the municipal borough of Chard, formed in response to the Municipal Corporations Act 1835.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/71446147/Municipal-Corporations-Act-1835|title=Municipal Corporations Act 1835|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref> It ceased to be the local seat of government when, following further local government re-organisation,<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 enlarged South Somerset Council was formed in 1974.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chard RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10001535|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref> The Guildhall has housed the offices of Chard Town Council since 2009, and is also regularly used by local community groups for a variety of activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chard.gov.uk/guildhall/ |title=The Guildhall - Chard Town Council |publisher=Chard.gov.uk |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref>
The mechanism for the guildhall clock, weighing {{convert|200|kilogram}}, was removed during the renovation of the building and returned, fully restored, in spring 2008.<ref name=clock/>
==Architecture== The Guildhall is built of Hamstone sourced from nearby Ham Hill, with slate roofs. The two-storey building has a T-shaped plan and is designed in the Classical style. The facade features a Doric portico with a double row of Tuscan columns at ground level and Doric columns on the second-storey. A domed cupola, featuring clock faces on three sides, sits on top of the facade's pediment. Both the council chamber and mayor's parlour survive unaltered.<ref name="historicengland1"/>
==References== {{Commons category|The Guildhall, Chard}} {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Guildhall, The}} Category:Chard, Somerset Category:Grade II* listed buildings in South Somerset Chard Category:Grade II* listed government buildings Category:Hamstone buildings Category:City and town halls in Somerset Category:Government buildings completed in 1834 Category:Corn exchanges in England