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Lyme Regis Guildhall

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Municipal building in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England

Lyme Regis Guildhall
Lyme Regis Guildhall
LocationBridge Street, Lyme Regis
Coordinates50°43′30″N 2°55′56″W / 50.7249°N 2.9322°W / 50.7249; -2.9322
Built1889
ArchitectGeorge Vialls
Architectural style(s)Italianate style
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameThe Guildhall
Designated23 April 1952
Reference no.1228691
Lyme Regis Guildhall is located in DorsetLyme Regis GuildhallShown in Dorset

Lyme Regis Guildhall is a municipal building in Bridge Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England. The building, which serves as the meeting place of Lyme Regis Town Council, is a Grade II* listed building.

History

The first guildhall in Lyme Regis dated back to the 16th century. The Duke of Monmouth landed at Lyme Regis with 82 supporters, initiating the Monmouth Rebellion, on 11 June 1685. As his men marched through the town, one of his supporters, a blacksmith named "Jackson", tore down the door of the guildhall. Monmouth was defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6 July 1685 and was executed on 15 July 1685.

By the 1860s, the first guildhall was in a dilapidated condition and described as a "dingy cottage". The borough council decided to commission a new building. It was designed by George Vialls in the Italianate style, built in rubble masonry and stucco, and was officially opened by the mayor, Zachery Edwards, on 21 January 1889.

The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage of four bays facing onto Bridge Street. The left-hand bay, which was gabled, featured a carriageway on the left and a doorway on the right with a Venetian window on the first floor, all surmounted by a gable containing an oculus. The second and third bays were fenestrated by elliptically headed windows on the ground floor and by a paired sash window on the first floor, while the right-hand bay contained a round-headed doorway on the ground floor and a bay window on the first floor, all surmounted by a gable. To the right of the main frontage, there was a doorway giving access to the lock-up, and, at the right-hand corner, a three-stage round tower with a conical roof. There was a doorway with an elaborate hood mould and finials at the west end of the building. Internally, the principal room was the council chamber. A stone carved with the Royal coat of arms of King Charles II, which had been recovered from the first guildhall, was installed above the mayor's seat.

The guildhall continued to serve as the local seat of government until the enlarged West Dorset District Council was formed in 1974. It subsequently became the meeting place of Lyme Regis Town Council. A plaque commemorating the life of Sir George Somers, who had served as mayor and local member of parliament in the 17th century, was unveiled by Princess Alexandra, as part of celebrations for the 700th anniversary of the granting of the town's charter, on 8 May 1984.

Remedial works were carried out to reduce the projection of the bay window by 9 inches (230 mm), in February 2022, in an effort to reduce the number of times it was struck by passing lorries.

See also

References

  1. Historic England. "The Guildhall (1228691)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Lyme Regis Guildhall". Lyme Life. 1 December 2019. p. 14. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. "Marking the Monmouth Rebellion". The Lyme Regis Society. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. Roberts, George (1844). The Life, Progresses, and Rebellion of James, Duke of Monmouth To His Capture and Execution: with a Full Account of the Bloody Assize, and Copious Biographical Notices. Vol. 1. Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans. p. 227.
  5. Wanklyn, Cyril (1927). Lyme Regis: A retrospect. London: Hatchards. p. 62.
  6. "No. 2051". The London Gazette. 13 July 1685. p. 2.
  7. "George Vialls and the architecture of Cockmoile Square, Lyme Regis" (PDF). Lyme Regis Museum. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  8. Hebditch, Max (1 October 2018). "The architect George Vialls and his clients in late 19th century Lyme Regis" (PDF). Lyme Regis Museum. p. 26. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  9. Wallis, Steve (2014). Lyme Regis & Around Through Time. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1445636436.
  10. "Lyme Regis Borough Lock Up". Prison History. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  11. "'Lyme Regis', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset". London: British History Online. 1952. pp. 141–150. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  12. Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN 0-10-547072-4.
  13. "Lyme Regis MB". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  14. "Calendar of Meetings 2022/23" (PDF). Lyme Regis Town Council. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  15. "Work to protect historic Lyme Regis Guildhall now complete". Lyme Online. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  16. "'Heritage from the doorstep': Plans to alter Lyme Regis Guildhall window to protect it from passing traffic". Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC). 19 February 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
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