#TavistockGuildhall #ChelmsfordShireHall #SueSpackman

£1.8-million TAVISTOCK GUILDHALL GATEWAY PROJECT BEGINS
By Tavistock Times reporter Ivor Heritage

WORK has begun this month (October 2019) on a £1.8-million project to turn Tavistock’s historic guildhall complex into a mining heritage centre, after several (12) years in the planning.

The ambitious scheme, which is being led by Tavistock Town Council, in partnership with Tavistock Heritage Trust (THT), has received support from organisations throughout the town and area and will provide a gateway centre for the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site.

The guildhall and adjoining buildings — Trowtes House and the old police station and magistrates court — will be transformed into the new centre which will explain the impact that mining had on the development of the town and what life was like as a miner in the 19th century.

Visitors will also be able to discover the history of the building itself, which is believed to be England’s first purpose-built combined court and police station.

Tavistock-based building firm RM Builders and Contractors Ltd started work on the building’s conservation, repair and conversion this week.

Mayor, Cllr Anne Johnson, said: ‘Tavistock Town Council has strongly supported this project from its original conception some years ago.

‘It is very exciting to have reached this major milestone in the project’s delivery and I am looking forward to seeing the important story of Tavistock’s mining past being told through this new visitor attraction.’

Ian Penrose, chair of Tavistock Heritage Trust, said: ‘As the community organisation that will be running the new visitor and heritage centre, we are delighted to see the works to conserve, repair and convert our town’s wonderful guildhall start on site.’

The Guildhall Gateway Project is being principally funded by Tavistock Town Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund with generous support from other funders, including the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site, the Hobson Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Members of the public are able to get involved while the building work is taking place, as project organisers will be hosting a series of community activities and events, including family days and sessions with local schools themed around Tavistock’s mining past.

The guildhall was built in 1848 as a response to a public order crisis in the town caused by a booming population of miners and other unruly workers.

The previous criminal justice facilities had proven inadequate and so the Duke of Bedford spent £4,000 on the new building, which housed a state-of-the-art courtroom, police station, jail cells and fire station — one of the first towns in England to combine a court and police station.

The courtroom was last used in 2001 while the rest of the building was still used as a police station up until 2012 when the police relocated to modern premises at Abbey Rise.

The Guildhall Gateway Project is part of a multi-million pound programme of long-term regeneration and investment in Tavistock’s historic town centre, which over the last five years has seen the restoration of several significant local landmarks, including the pannier market and Butchers’ Hall.

# If Tavistock can create an outstanding heritage centre at the Grade2* listed Guildhall, maybe there may still hope for Chelmsford's Grade 2 listed Shire Hall?

* True Colours sung by the Tavistock Tapestry Choir. Recorded live in the Parish Church of St Eustachius, on 5th May 2017, as part of Tavistock Festival 2017. [ Ссылка ]

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