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County Hall, Preston
County Hall
County HallLocation in Preston city centreShow map of Preston city centreCounty HallLocation in LancashireShow map of Lancashire
General information
Architectural style	Queen Anne revival style
Address	Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire
Town or city	Preston
Country	England
Coordinates	53°45′27″N 2°42′33″W / 53.7575°N 2.7091°W / 53.7575; -2.7091
Completed	1882; 142 years ago (1882)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Henry Littler

County Hall is a municipal building in Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire, England. It is the headquarters of Lancashire County Council.

History

In July 1877, county leaders identified the need for enlarged accommodation for the county court, which had been based in the Sessions House in Stanley Street, as well as the need for additional offices. They decided to procure a new building and selected a site at Fishergate which had previously been occupied by a row of residential properties.

The new building, which was designed by the Manchester architect, Henry Littler, in the Queen Anne revival style, opened on 14 September 1882. The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage with seven bays facing Fishergate; the right hand section, which slightly projected forwards, featured a doorway with a rectangular fanlight and shield above: the principal room was the council chamber. The new building incorporated a new headquarters for the Lancashire Constabulary as well as a county records office, formed to preserve important documents.

Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, the building also became the offices and meeting place for Lancashire County Council. An extension to the west along Fishergate was completed in 1903: this involved the demolition of a street known as Jordan Street whose residents had included the astronomer Moses Holden. A further extension to the north along Pitt Street, with a substantial new structure and entrance, was completed in 1934.

As part of a two-day visit to Lancashire, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth attended a lunch hosted by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, Lord Derby, at County Hall before departing for Preston Town Hall in March 1945 during the Second World War.

In 2011, as part of a cost-cutting initiative, several hundred staff were relocated to the County Hall from other locations.

War memorial

Inside the building is a memorial, unveiled in 1921, to eighteen "members of the county offices staff who gave their lives for King and Country in the Great War", including one woman, Isobel Addey Tate.

References

1. ^ "Preston Guardian Digest 1876-1890". 9 May 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
2. "Ordnance Survey Map". 1849. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
3. "The New County Public Offices, Fishergate, Preston - Mr Littler, Architect". Preston Digital Archive. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
4. Farrer, William; Brownbill, J. (1912). "'Townships: Preston', in A History of the County of Lancaster". London: British History Online. pp. 91–105. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
5. "Historic Town Assessment Report: Preston". Lancashire County Council. 1 September 2006. p. 40. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
6. "Council Chamber, County Hall, Preston". Lancashire County Council. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
7. "Going behind the scenes of Lancashire County Council's 130-year history". Lancashire Post. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
8. "Local Government Act 1888". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
9. "Fishergate Hill Conservation Area Character Appraisal" (PDF). Preston City Council. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
10. "County Office Extensions, Preston 1930". Preston Digital Archive. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
11. "Details of a Secret Royal Visit to Preston". Lancashire Post. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
12. "Lancashire County Council closing offices to save £1 million". BBC. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
13. "Preston County Offices Staff - WW1". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 6 June 2020.

v t e Buildings and structures in the City of Preston
Grade I	Harris Museum Preston Cenotaph Places of worship Preston: St Walburge
Grade II*	Arkwright House Avenham Park Miller Park Moor Park Sessions House Places of worship Preston: St George the Martyr St John's Minster St Mark St Peter St Wilfrid Syro-Malabar Cathedral (former St Ignatius) Ashton-on-Ribble: St Michael & All Angels Broughton: St John the Baptist Goosnargh: St Mary the Virgin Woodplumpton: St Anne
Grade II	Archbishop Temple School Black Horse Chingle Hall Church Cottage Museum Corn Exchange Covered Market Fulwood Barracks (including Lancashire Infantry Museum) The Guild Miller Arcade Museum of Lancashire Penwortham Old Bridge Preston bus station Preston railway station Preston Royal Infirmary Preston Town Hall Ribbleton railway station St Joseph's Orphanage Tulketh Mill Ye Horns Inn Places of worship Preston: All Saints Carey Baptist City Emmanuel English Martyrs Fishergate Baptist Moor Park Methodist Preston Central Methodist St Joseph St Luke St Mary St Paul St Thomas Ashton-on-Ribble: St Andrew Barton: St Lawrence Fernyhalgh: St Mary Grimsargh: St Michael Inglewhite: Congregational Chapel
Unlisted	County Hall Fishergate Shopping Centre The Green Man at Inglewhite HM Prison Preston Park Hotel The Plough at Eaves Preston Crown Court Preston Guild Hall RAF Barton Hall Royal Preston Hospital St George's Shopping Centre The Warehouse Kimberley Barracks Places of worship Preston: Jamea Masjid St Matthew Fulwood: Christ Church Ribbleton: St Mary Magdalene
Derelict or demolished	Preston Castle Preston Greyfriars Red Scar Mill Tulketh Hall Tulketh Priory Whittingham Hospital
Lists	Mills in Preston Tallest in Preston Listed in Barton Broughton Goosnargh Grimsargh Haighton Lea Preston Whittingham Woodplumpton

• Buildings and structures in Preston
• County halls in England
• Government buildings completed in 1882