TH

33

THE NEW TOWN HALL AT

COLCHESTER.

HE new Town Hall at Colchester, to which several references have already been made in the Essex Review, will be opened for public use in a few weeks' time. Some of the furnishing has still to be done, but otherwise the building may be said to be completed. It was open for public inspection during Christmas week.

The new building is from the designs of Mr. John Belcher, A.R.A., one of the few architects of the day who have done

something towards the establishment of
a modern style of architecture. For want
of a better name, that style is called
"Renaissance." The Colchester Town
Hall is a combination of the red bricks of
Hedingham brick-fields with Portland
Stone. The upper portion of the tower
is entirely of stone, the lower portion
almost entirely of brick.
Brick pre-
dominates in the east façade. The
principal frontage-that which faces High
Street-is shown in our illustration.
There it will be seen that the stone-work

W. Gill, Photo.

prevails over the brick-work. The total cost of the building can hardly be stated at present. Including the gifts, which may be valued at over £10,000, the Town Hall will probably have cost nearly £60,000 by the time it is opened. This does not include any valuation of the site of the building.

As usual in Mr. Belcher's work, great attention has been paid to the decorative details, and the sculptor has had a large share in carrying out the design. Four full-length marble statues occupy niches on the High Street façade, and two more will overlook Stockwell Street. Four of these statues are in position, and have already been pictured in the Essex Review (Vol. x., pp. 191-2). They represent eminent Colcestrians of different periods: Eudo, the Norman Lord of the town who founded St. John's Abbey; Thomas Lord Audley, Chancellor to Henry VIII. and founder of Audley End; William Gilberd, the great scientist of Elizabethan days; and Samuel Harsnett, Archbishop of York, a native of Colchester, who left his library to the town. The remaining statues are to indicate earlier history, namely Edward the Elder, who rescued Colchester from Danish dominion; and Boadicea, who for a brief period expelled the Roman colony from Camulodunum.

The Victoria Tower (the gift of Alderman James Paxman) is surmounted by a fine bronze statue of St. Helena, patron saint of Colchester, who, according to ancient chronicles, gave birth in this town to the great Constantine. There are also four large figures at the lower angles of the tower, representing respectively Engineering, the Fishery of Colchester, Agriculture, and Military Defence. The four bronze ravens, which will be noticed at the upper angles are well-designed. They symbolise the port of Colchester, which, according to various authorities, had for its seal a raven, supposed to be connected in some way with the Danes, who seem to have adopted this voracious and dishonest bird as an appropriate emblem for their standards.

We give an illustration of the main entrance showing the sculpture over the gates; the Mayor's Balcony, from which election results and other announcements will be made; and the lamp columns in front of the building.

As to the exterior there is naturally difference of opinion, for no architect can be so fortunate as to satisfy all artistic tastes or distastes, to say nothing of that great majority of persons who do not happen to possess any artistic taste at all.

But as to the interior of the Town Hall there appears to be no difference of opinion. It is agreed by all who have visited the building that the planning is most ingenious, that the fine marble staircase, the corridors, and the principal rooms are all admirable in proportion, decoration, and in general effect. The one disappointing thing to Colcestrians is the size of the two Law

BRONZE STATUE OF ST HELENA.

SURMOUNTING THE TOWN HALL

Courts. Chelmsford need have little anxiety about the suggestion which has been raised on several occasions, that in due time an attempt should be made to secure the holding of the Essex Assizes in these Courts. There is nothing to be said against the fitting-up of the courts. They are admirably adapted for Petty Sessions or for County Courts, but for Assizes they are out of the question. In this connection it may be mentioned that the Recorder of Colchester (Mr. Philbrick, K.C.) has promised to give to the town his valuable law library, and that an apartment near the courts has been fitted up for its reception.

We cannot, however, stay to describe the general plan of the building, or to descant further upon the architectural merits of the

interior. What is naturally of special interest to us is the attempt which has been successfully made to constitute this building a storehouse of local history. It is three years since the Town Hall was commenced, and during that period it is evident that the promoters have been exceedingly busy in collecting paintings, engravings, drawings, busts, photographs, statues,