Sheffield Town Hall is a municipal building on Pinstone Street in the City of Sheffield, England. The building is used by Sheffield City Council, and also contains a publicly displayed collection of silverware. It is a Grade I listed building.
History
The current building, commissioned to replace the Old Town Hall, was designed by the London-based architect Edward William Mountford in the Renaissance Revival style and constructed between 1890 and 1897.
The gardens were first laid out in 1938, following the demolition of St Paul's Church. Originally named St Paul's Gardens, they were immediately nicknamed the "Peace Gardens", marking the contemporary signing of the Munich Agreement.
An extension designed in the Brutalist style was added to the east of the Peace Gardens in 1977; nicknamed The Egg-Box after its appearance, it was demolished in 2002.
Exterior
The design of the exterior echoed to a certain extent the architecture of the adjacent St. Paul's Church of 1720 (now demolished). During construction, the building was criticised for its expensive embellishments. The exterior is built of Stoke stone from the Stoke Hall Quarry in Grindleford, Derbyshire and is decorated with carvings by F. W. Pomeroy. but bells were never installed in the clock-tower so they remained unused. In 2002 an electronic bell sound system was added to provide hourly strikes and Westminster-style quarter chimes.
Interior
The entry contains displays relating to HMS Sheffield and leads to the Main Entrance Hall with a grand marble staircase. This also has an Electrolier an electric chandelier, part of the original lighting of the building. The walls include friezes including a depiction of the slaying of the Dragon of Wharncliffe. On the first landing is a statue of the first Lord Mayor Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk.
The first floor has a gallery running its length which can be divided into four sections by means of powered oak panels descending from the ceiling. The south room is the Lord Mayor's Parlour which is kept permanently divided.
<gallery>
File:Sheffield-town-hall-first-lord-mayor-statue.jpg|Statue of the first Lord Mayor of Sheffield
File:Sheffield-town-hall-staircase.jpg|Staircase at Sheffield Town Hall decorated for Christmas
File:HMS Sheffield plaque, Sheffield Town Hall.jpg|HMS Sheffield plaque 1941
File:Sheffield Town Hall stairs.JPG|Staircase, with statue of the first Lord Mayor
File:Wharncliffe Dragon.JPG|Slaying the Wharncliffe dragon
File:Sheffield Town Hall Electrolier Oct 2017.jpg|Electrolier
File:Sheffield Mayors Parlour.JPG|Lord Mayor's Parlour
File:Sheffield Town Hall Council.jpg|Council Chamber
File:Sheffield Town Hall Council sign.jpg|Above the door to the Council Chamber
File:Sheffield Town Hall Council Chamber.jpg|Council Chambers
File:Sheffield Town Hall Mayors Parlour Room.jpg|Mayors Parlour Room
File:Sheffield Town Hall Stairs.jpg|Main stairs
</gallery>
See also
- Listed buildings in Sheffield