Building record 0167800000 - THE GUILDHALL

Dimensions - Width 14m, Length 14m.
Plan Form - Square.
Old guildhall erected 1604. Burnt down (B1).
1757 by Henry Keene, gift of Lord Shelburne (B4).
Grade I. Dated 1757, designed by Henry Keene and built at the expense of the Earl of Shelburne. On the site of a Guildhall of 1604. 2 storeys, open arcaded ground floor, symmetrically designed east, west and north elevations. Red brickwork with stone stringcourse at 1st floor level. Bracketed stone cornice with blocking course. Hipped old tiled roof with delicate octagonal cupola of slender Roman Doric columns, on scroll supports, framing round headed openings and supporting broken entablature, with small dome and wrought iron weather vane. Central motif on each front, except the south, has slight projection and pediment, with round headed central sash window in stone surround with cornice and dummy balustrade under sill. Altogether 5 sashes to each front with glazing bars, flat arches to side windows. This building, standing out at right angles to the High Street fronts, makes a large contribution to the street scene. See illustration in Murray's Buckinghamshire by Betjeman and Piper. Scheduled Ancient Monument. Nos 1 to 5 (consec), The Little Market House, Guildhall, Premises occupied by Midland Bank and The Falcon Hotel form a group (B7).
Restored 1859. 3 bay width market held in open ground floor. Steel reinforcing in this area (B6).
Building recording (photographic and architectural surveys) carried out by Wycombe District Council in advance of construction of an extension and other restoration works, part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (B8).
Buildings report dated Jun 1997 - Nov 1999 held at NMR (B9).