In the 19th century the judicial functions of the county were discharged at Devizes Assize Court in the Summer[1] and at Salisbury Assize Court in the Lent.[2] Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, there was a need to find a meeting place for Wiltshire County Council,[3] and the Victoria County History infers that Trowbridge was chosen by virtue of its railway connections.[4] The County Council acquired Arlington House[5] in The Parade, Trowbridge in 1896; subsequent extensions included a block of offices on land behind the building, completed in 1900, and a block of offices adjacent to the building completed in 1913.[4]
After deciding that the facilities at Arlington House and the adjacent properties were inadequate for their needs, council leaders decided to procure a new purpose-built building; the site they selected in Bythesea Road had previously been occupied by the Trowbridge Town football club.[6] The new building, which was designed by Philip Hepworth in the Neo-Georgian style, was completed in 1940.[6] The design has a symmetrical main frontage with thirteen bays facing onto Bythesea Road, the end bays slightly projected forward; the central section features a three-bay portico in antis with Doric order columns; there is a prominent window, framed by an aedicule, on the first floor and a wooden lantern containing a clock at roof level.[6] Internally, the principal room was the council chamber which was polygon-shaped and jutted out to the rear of the main building.[6]
During the Second World War, following concerns that County Hall would be a potential landmark for German aircraft, it was covered in camouflage nets.[4] An extension to a design by Alec French & Partners was built to the south east of the main building and completed in 1974.[6]
Following the merger of the former non-metropolitan districts of Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury and West Wiltshire in April 2009, a new unitary authority known as Wiltshire Council adopted County Hall as its headquarters.[7] In 2011, following an application from the county council, English Heritage decided not to list County Hall as the building did not meet the criteria for listing post-1945 buildings.[6] The building was extensively refurbished by Kier Group at a cost of £22 million, to a design by Stride Treglown, in 2012.[8] The refurbishment works involved the creation of a new link block to the 1970s extension; it also involved covering over the internal courtyard within the extension with an ETFE roof, so creating a new cafe and exhibition area.[9][10][11]
