The Shire Hall, Haverfordwest.
The Shire Hall was built in 1837 by William Owen.
During the 19th century Haverfordwest was radically remodelled by William Owen, son of a local cabinet-maker and an architect of amazing vision and energy. Owen swept away crumbling hovels and replaced them with fine terraces. He erected numbers of public buildings (including the former Corn Market at the top of Market Street, now occupied by a cinema, and most notably the Shire Hall). And he transformed the eastern approach to the town by creating new streets (Victoria Place and Picton Place), plus the New Bridge (which he financed himself), in effect forming an extension of the High Street.
William Owen was four times mayor of Haverfordwest. Haverfordians still walk, literally, in his shadow.
Haverfordwest Civic Society
The End Of An Era
REMOVAL of the courts from the Shire Hall, Haverfordwest, to their new premises at the town's Hawthorn Rise ends 168 years of judicial hearings in that imposing building. Queen Victoria had not reached the throne when the first cases were heard at the Shire Hall and in those days capital punishment or transportation were often meted out.
Among the early cases heard there was at least one involving a Rebecca Riot following an incident at Colby Scott and the last time the black cap was worn there was in 1950, when Jenkins the Rosemarket claypit murderer was sentenced to death.
The Shire Hall was the scene of much pomp and ceremony when the Assize courts sat and the red-robed judges with their colourful entourages arrived to a fanfare of trumpets after attending the traditional church service in St Mary's.
The ceremonial inside continued with the formal reading of the Commission of Assize with such archaic expressions as `Oyer and Termina and General Jail Delivery' and with the time-honoured ceremonial of the gloves. This entailed the handing of token white gloves to the judge by the sheriff of the Town and County of Haverfordwest and the High Sheriff of the County of Pembrokeshire if there was an absence of triable crime in their respective areas. It didn't happen that often.
The Quarter Sessions for the County, a lower level of judicial administration to the Assizes, were also held in the Shire Hall, presided over in later years by Sir Marlay Sampson, Lord Merthyr or Colonel G. T. Kelway, sitting with lay magistrates.
The Shire Hall was also the venue for tribunals, inquiries, magistrates courts and county court hearings, inquests and meetings of the county council and the rural district council, mayor makings and other meetings of various kinds. In the upper rooms, meetings of the county roads and bridges and various other committees and, of course, the magistrates courts committees, were held.
Lots More Here. http://silverstealth.fotopic.net/c1616788.html
1905 Shire Hall, to the left.
The Judges View.
Counsel's View
The Dock
Stairs from The Cells To The Dock
The Shire Hall was built in 1837 by William Owen.
During the 19th century Haverfordwest was radically remodelled by William Owen, son of a local cabinet-maker and an architect of amazing vision and energy. Owen swept away crumbling hovels and replaced them with fine terraces. He erected numbers of public buildings (including the former Corn Market at the top of Market Street, now occupied by a cinema, and most notably the Shire Hall). And he transformed the eastern approach to the town by creating new streets (Victoria Place and Picton Place), plus the New Bridge (which he financed himself), in effect forming an extension of the High Street.
William Owen was four times mayor of Haverfordwest. Haverfordians still walk, literally, in his shadow.
Haverfordwest Civic Society
The End Of An Era
REMOVAL of the courts from the Shire Hall, Haverfordwest, to their new premises at the town's Hawthorn Rise ends 168 years of judicial hearings in that imposing building. Queen Victoria had not reached the throne when the first cases were heard at the Shire Hall and in those days capital punishment or transportation were often meted out.
Among the early cases heard there was at least one involving a Rebecca Riot following an incident at Colby Scott and the last time the black cap was worn there was in 1950, when Jenkins the Rosemarket claypit murderer was sentenced to death.
The Shire Hall was the scene of much pomp and ceremony when the Assize courts sat and the red-robed judges with their colourful entourages arrived to a fanfare of trumpets after attending the traditional church service in St Mary's.
The ceremonial inside continued with the formal reading of the Commission of Assize with such archaic expressions as `Oyer and Termina and General Jail Delivery' and with the time-honoured ceremonial of the gloves. This entailed the handing of token white gloves to the judge by the sheriff of the Town and County of Haverfordwest and the High Sheriff of the County of Pembrokeshire if there was an absence of triable crime in their respective areas. It didn't happen that often.
The Quarter Sessions for the County, a lower level of judicial administration to the Assizes, were also held in the Shire Hall, presided over in later years by Sir Marlay Sampson, Lord Merthyr or Colonel G. T. Kelway, sitting with lay magistrates.
The Shire Hall was also the venue for tribunals, inquiries, magistrates courts and county court hearings, inquests and meetings of the county council and the rural district council, mayor makings and other meetings of various kinds. In the upper rooms, meetings of the county roads and bridges and various other committees and, of course, the magistrates courts committees, were held.
Lots More Here. http://silverstealth.fotopic.net/c1616788.html
1905 Shire Hall, to the left.
The Judges View.
Counsel's View
The Dock
Stairs from The Cells To The Dock
