Record Office, Library and Register Office
RECORD OFFICE, LIBRARY AND REGISTER OFFICE, PEGS LANE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1268809
- Date first listed:
- 09-Sept-1996
- List Entry Name:
- Record Office, Library and Register Office
- Statutory Address:
- RECORD OFFICE, LIBRARY AND REGISTER OFFICE, PEGS LANE
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-12-10
- Reference:
- IOE01/05153/16
- Rights:
- © Mr A. Gude. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1268809
- Date first listed:
- 09-Sept-1996
- List Entry Name:
- Record Office, Library and Register Office
- Statutory Address 1:
- RECORD OFFICE, LIBRARY AND REGISTER OFFICE, PEGS LANE
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:
- RECORD OFFICE, LIBRARY AND REGISTER OFFICE, PEGS LANE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Hertfordshire
- District:
- East Hertfordshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Hertford
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 32486 12048
Details
HERTFORD
TL3212SW PEG'S LANE
817-1/19/164 (West side)
Record Office, Library and Register
Office
GV II
Former Motor Tax Office and County Library Headquarters, now
Record Office, Library and Register Office. 1936-39.
Architects James and Bywaters with Rowland Pierce. Buff-brown
brick, laid to English garden wall and one third stretcher
bonds, Portland stone dressings, handmade tile roof behind
parapet.
STYLE: stripped Georgian.
PLAN: L-plan with main block, with basement, facing south.
Return east flank of library faces east to Peg's Lane.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. First floor; 12 bays with squat 12-pane
sash windows recessed beneath brick rubbed flat arches. Ground
floor with tall 20-pane sashes. The entrance fourth bay from
right (east), has tall semicircular headed brick soldier arch
within which is recessed a reeded Portland stone architrave
surround to twin leaf panelled hardwood doors with circular
bolection surrounded inner panels, fanlight with stylised
'HCC' initials, and hardwood panelled tympanum above. Flank
end single bay faces east, with set back library block of 9
bays, with tall 24-pane sash windows, recessed with rubbed
brick arches and Portland stone keyblocks carved with animals
and birds; syncopated relationship with ground-floor windows
to coincide with every fourth squat 12-pane window. Entrance
at left has twin leaf panelled hardwood doors with Portland
stone architrave surround, a panel above with raised
inscription 'County Library' flanked by porches, and outer
Tuscan pilasters with block frieze and coved cornice. Doorway
raised 6 steps with flanking plinths and iron railings. A
plinth band runs across elevation against niche containing
sculpture of boy with cricket bat, with plain surround with
date '1939' above head, coved cornice and moulded banded sill.
The entrance is aligned with 2 flights of steps from Peg's
Lane set between walls with Portland stone plinths and caps,
with simple iron gates. Garages and screen walls to rear
within service yard.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the Motor Tax block, with the County Library
was a modification to the 1935 competition winning design for
County Hall itself. The revisions formed part of the overall
tender of March 1937, and the buildings were completed in
Summer 1939 with the main County Hall block (qv).
(Architects' Journal: The Hertford Competition: London: 1935-:
621-628; James and Bywaters with Rowland Pierce: Plans of
County Hall Main Building, Motor Tax and Library Block:
1935-1940: OFFACC556NOS30A-F,6J; Building: Architecture at the
Royal Academy: 1937-: 191; Hertfordshire Countryside: Walne P:
County Hall - a home that keeps on growing: Letchworth:
1946-1973: 43-44; Pevsner N: Buildings of England:
Hertfordshire: Harmondsworth: 1977-: 186; Sheldrick G: The
Hart Reguardant: Hertford: 1989-: 46-54; Walne P: A Guide to
County Hall: Hertford: 1980-).
Listing NGR: TL3248612048
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 461440
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Walne, P, A Guide to County Hall, (1980)
Sheldrick, G, The Hart Reguardant, (1989), 46-54
James, , Bywaters with Pierce, , Plans of County Hall Main Museum, (1935-1940)
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977), 186
Architects Journal in Architects Journal, (1935), 621-628
Building in Building, (1937), 191
Hertfordshire Countryside in Hertfordshire Countryside, (1946-1973), 43-44
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 15-Jun-2026 at 05:59:27.
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