Wells Town Hall

The first civic building in the market place, a market and assize hall, was completed in 1548.^[2] It was paid for in part by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, William Knight, and in part from a legacy left by the former Dean of Wells, Richard Woleman.^[2] After falling into a state of disrepair, it was rebuilt in 1663.^[2] It was at Wells assizes that, in the aftermath of the Monmouth Rebellion, Judge Jeffreys held the Bloody Assizes on 23 September 1685.^[3][4]

After the justices complained that the old market house and assize hall was cold and uncomfortable, civic leaders decided to procure a new building: the site selected, which was to the south of the old market and assize hall, had been occupied by a Canonical House used by former archdeacons.^[3] An Act "for building a new Assize or Town Hall and Market House, within the City or Borough of Wells, in the County of Somerset; and for regulating the Markets within the said City or Borough" was approved by Parliament in March 1779.^[5]

The new building which was built by Edmund and William Lush of Salisbury in the neoclassical style and paid for by public subscription was completed in late 1779.^[6] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with nine bays facing onto the Market Square; the central section of three bays, which projected forward and featured arcading on the ground floor with tall sash windows on the first floor and a pediment above, was added in 1907.^[1] A French door and a balcony on the first floor and three oculi above were added in 1932.^[1] Internally, the principal rooms were the courtroom in the east wing, which was used as the court of assizes and later converted into a council chamber, and the courtroom in the west wing, which was used the magistrates' court and, after refurbishment, referred to as the "old courtroom".^[6]

The town hall served as the meeting place of Wells Municipal Borough Council for much of the 20th century^[7] but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Mendip District Council was formed in 1974.^[8] It then became the meeting place for Wells City Council, the local parish council for the area.^[9] The court of assizes continued to be held in the building until October 1970.^[1] The building also became an approved venue for marriages and civil partnerships in 1998^[10] and magistrates' court hearings continued to be held in the building until 2010.^[6]

Works of art in the town hall include a portrait by Godfrey Kneller of King Charles II,^[11] a portrait by Peter Lely of King James II (as Duke of York)^[12] and a portrait by Anthony van Dyck of Bishop Robert Creighton,^[13] as well as a more recent portrait by Arthur Hayward of Admiral Sir James Somerville.^[14]