A county hall or shire hall is usual name given to a building housing a county's administration. The location of the county hall has usually denoted the county town, and as county halls have moved it has also been considered that the county town has moved, for example when Derbyshire County Council moved from Derby to Matlock in the 1950s. As important government buildings, many county halls are known for their distinctive architecture. Some county halls are historic buildings at the heart of the town, whilst others are more modern office building in suburban locations. Many buildings which have lost their administrative function have retained the name county hall for historic reasons, such as County Hall, London.
County Halls usually contain a council chamber, committee rooms and offices. Many have also been home to court rooms, however in recent years many have moved to separate buildings.
County Halls in Great Britain and Ireland include:
- County Hall, Abingdon
- County Hall, Aylesbury
- County Hall, Cardiff
- County Hall, Hertford
- County Hall, London
- County Hall, Wakefield
- County Hall (Surrey)
- Shire Hall, Monmouth
- Shire Hall, Newport
- Cork County Hall
Famous quotes containing the words county and/or hall:
“In the county there are thirty-seven churches
and no butcher shop. This could be taken
as a matter of all form and no content.”
—Maxine Kumin (b. 1925)
“While there we heard the Indian fire his gun twice.... This sudden, loud, crashing noise in the still aisles of the forest, affected me like an insult to nature, or ill manners at any rate, as if you were to fire a gun in a hall or temple.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)