PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The old Plympton Guildhall building is located in Fore Street, Plympton St Maurice. Plympton was an ancient borough and it is thought that its first Guild Hall was erected during the 13th century. The present building occupies the same site. It originally had a high open timbered roof. At the northern end there was a raised dais with seats for the Mayor, Aldermen and Bailiff. Below them was a small enclosure in which sat the Town Clerk or the Clerk to the Justices when a court was in session. Below them again was an open space separated from the aforementioned area by a bar, in which the general public were permitted to stand. The walls were covered with oak panelling. Considerable alterations were made to the building at the end of the 17th century, when two lock-ups were added and the roof closed up with a ceiling. In 1788-89 the building was altered and improved again, at a cost of some £256 10s. During 1860 the Aldermen and Councillors decided to stop electing a Mayor and the Guildhall, along with other Plympton Corporation property, was conveyed by deed to a group of trustees. The building by then was by all accounts in a very poor state and as neither the Corporation nor the trustees had the money to renovate it, a limited liability company was created, with a capital of £500 in £1 shares. Only 450 shares were taken up but with the addition of £50 from the members of the Corporation and the trustees and other smaller donations from members of the public, the Company was soon able to employ a Plymouth architect to draw up plans. The renovation was carried out in 1862 and involved doing away with the court, the lock-ups and some smaller offices on the ground floor, leaving only the Council Chamber and the granite arcade intact. Rooms for a caretaker were added to the front, which was brought out to the same line as the house next door. A large hall capable of seating 300 people was erected at the rear, complete with musicians' balcony. It was during this renovation work that the old and rather dilapidated Sedan chair that had been kept at the Guildhall disappeared. The old bell from the turret would have gone the same way had it not been rescued by Mr J Brooking Rowe. The town stocks were removed to the Grammar school for safety but disappeared from there when the master's house was being rebuilt in 1870. The three Borough maces were removed to the Church and placed in the charge of the churchwardens. After about forty successful years in use as a concert hall and meeting place, during which a small dividend was paid to shareholders, it eventually hit repair problems again in 1902. The Company had no money so it was decided to forfeit the lease but unfortunately the trustees were all dead by now. A new scheme was devised with the sanction of the Charity Commission and the property was conveyed to new trustees appointed by the Plympton St Maurice Parish Council. The renovation work was completed in 1903. On the outside of the Guildhall are two shields bearing the coats-of-arms of Sir George Treby, 1688, and Sir Thomas Trevor, 1692.
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