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A county hall or shire hall is a common name given to a building that houses the seat of local government for a county.

The location of the county hall has usually denoted the county town.

In the case of Surrey, England, when county boundaries changed the county hall remained in Kingston upon Thames. County halls usually contain a council chamber, committee rooms and offices.

List of county and shire halls

United Kingdom

England

County halls in England, with the ceremonial county they served, include:

Scotland

County halls ceased to have a role in Scotland in 1975, when a system of large regional councils was introduced. Former county halls in Scotland, with the county they served, include:

Northern Ireland

County halls ceased to have a role in Northern Ireland in 1973, when a system of local government districts was introduced. Former county halls in Northern Ireland, with the county they served, include:

Wales

County halls in Wales, with the county they served, include:

Historic counties

Preserved counties

Republic of Ireland

County halls in the Republic of Ireland, with the county they serve, include:

See also

• Seat of local government
• Old County Hall, Truro
• Old Shirehall, Shrewsbury
• Old Shire Hall, Durham

Notes

1. Some of the English county councils have been abolished to make way for unitary authorities and the respective county halls have either been transferred to successor authorities or have been the subject of change of use
2. All of the Scottish county councils have been abolished to make way for regional authorities and subsequently unitary authorities and the respective county halls have either been transferred to successor authorities or have been the subject of change of use
3. All of the Northern Irish county councils have been abolished to make way for local government districts and the respective county halls have either been transferred to successor authorities or have been the subject of change of use
4. Some of the Welsh county councils have been abolished to make way for unitary authorities and the respective county halls have either been transferred to successor authorities or have been the subject of change of use

References

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• Seats of local government