Shire Hall
SHIRE HALL, MOUNT FOLLY SQUARE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1025049
- Date first listed:
- 26-Mar-1949
- List Entry Name:
- Shire Hall
- Statutory Address:
- SHIRE HALL, MOUNT FOLLY SQUARE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-03-21
- Reference:
- IOE01/03787/01
- Rights:
- © Mr Charles A Perry. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1025049
- Date first listed:
- 26-Mar-1949
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 07-Jan-1994
- List Entry Name:
- Shire Hall
- Statutory Address 1:
- SHIRE HALL, MOUNT FOLLY SQUARE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- SHIRE HALL, MOUNT FOLLY SQUARE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Bodmin
- National Grid Reference:
- SX0716366930
Details
BODMIN
SX0766 MOUNT FOLLY SQUARE
629-1/3/92 Shire Hall
26/03/49
(Formerly Listed as:
MOUNT FOLLY SQUARE
Assize Court)
GV II*
Assize Court. 1837-1838. By Henry Burt of Launceston.
MATERIALS: granite ashlar with channelled rustication to
basement over plinth, mid-floor and impost string, moulded
eared architraves and moulded hoods to side bays, side
elevations also ashlar; rubble at rear; with granite quoins
and parapet string; dry Delabole roof behind parapet with
moulded parapet and central triangular pediment; granite
ashlar axial stacks with moulded cornice.
PLAN: overall rectangular plan: central entrance hall with
imperial main stair plus smaller stair halls on either side of
front with pair of full-height courtrooms behind. Classical
style.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys over basement, symmetrical 2:3:2-bay front
with central bays broken forward. Original hornless sashes
with glazing bars; 3 central windows over 3 round-arched
openings with stepped keyblocks. Original pairs of
wrought-iron gates with cast-iron spearhead finials, C20
screen behind. Rear is 2:3:2-bays. 3 windows to each side
elevation; all original sashes.
INTERIOR: complete and virtually unaltered. Principal features
include loggia with 3 round arches on granite piers and
responds all with iron gates, the central arch leading to a
wide cantilevered granite staircase with the landing carried
on granite corbel brackets, also in loggia 2 round-arched side
entrances leading to secondary staircases. Behind the smaller
staircases a pair of identical full-height courtrooms with
U-plan galleries at the front (rear of each court).
Courtrooms are complete with original architectural features
and fittings including judges' benches, jurors' benches and
other benches set on 4 deep granite steps. The principal
benches are panelled and enclosed like box pews, the rear
benches are simple seats with back rails. Courtrooms and front
chamber have moulded plaster ceilings and courtrooms have
central roses with acanthus leaves. Beside each courtroom,
behind central staircase are 2 judges' dressing rooms.
The basement is approached by a central granite staircase and
2 staircases lead from the cells to the courtrooms (now
blocked off) and 30 small cupboard-like cells with ventilated
doors; at the front end of the passage between the cells is a
closet with a heated washing trough. Behind the cells on the
right is a cavity wall to provide ventilation.
This court building was until 1988 the County Court and is an
unusually complete and elegant example of its type, and groups
with the Judges' Lodgings, Shire House (qv).
(Colvin H: A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects
1600-1840: London: 1978-: 969).
Listing NGR: SX0716366930
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 368033
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Colvin, H M, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, (1978), 969
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 01:36:33.
Download a full scale map (PDF)© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.© British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2026. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006.
End of official list entry