Floor count 2 Opened 1783 | Architect Samuel Eglinton Floors 2 | |
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Location Cathedral Quarter, Coventry Similar Coventry Cross, St Mary's Guildhall, Bond's Hospital, Priory Visitor Centre, Holy Trinity Church - Coventry | ||
County Hall is a historic former courthouse (Grade II* listed) in Coventry's Cathedral Quarter. It was designed by architect Samuel Eglinton and opened in 1783. Land adjacent to the building was used as a gaol; the Prison Governor's House is still attached to the building. It is thought that the building may have been a second guildhall in Coventry, in addition to St Mary's Guildhall.
Contents
Map of County Hall, Bayley Ln, Coventry CV1 5RN, UK
History
The Hall was opened in 1783 when it was used as a county court. Its most notable case was in 1849 which resulted in the hanging of Mary Ball (who had been found guilty of poisoning her husband) outside the court - the last person to be hanged there, which had over 20,000 spectators.
The courts moved to their current site on Much Park Street in 1988 and the building lay empty until it was bought for use as a bar in 2000. The interior was redesigned although aspects of the courthouse such as the judge's chair and public gallery were left untouched.