Inside empty Essex hall left empty for 12 years with eerie tunnel behind door
There's a hidden corridor once used to take prisoners from the court cells to and from the old police station
Shire Hall in Chelmsford is one of the city's most prominent buildings and it has an incredibly rich history. The Grade II listed building closed in 2012 and thousands have been spent to maintain it.
It opened in 1791, just under 30 years after the Essex Chronicle was first printed, and served as a County Court for over 220 years until its closure when courts relocated to New Street.
The Georgian building was designed by John Johnson and has plenty of historical features. They include a hidden corridor that was used to take prisoners from the court cells to and from the old police station was across the road.
In 1856 one person was killed and five seriously injured when a crowd surged into the building to attend a trial of five men charged with murder while poaching and a staircase collapsed. Shire Hall was also used as a home for some Essex County Council meetings between 1889 and 1938.
Shire Hall is currently no longer in public use but has been used by various production companies as a set for TV. The listed building was used as a court building for ITV's Mr Bates vs The Post Office as well as The Jury: Murder Trial on Channel 4. Since the start of 2023, Essex County Council has received more than £100,000 income for Shire Hall's use as a filming location.
In 2021 there were plans to change the building to include retail, restaurant, drinking establishment, office and 'function room' spaces. The plans were put forward by Aquila, the company behind the Bond Street development, but refused by the council.
By Matt Lee Senior Multimedia Journalist - Essex Live
Shire Hall in Chelmsford is one of the city's most prominent buildings and it has an incredibly rich history. The Grade II listed building closed in 2012 and thousands have been spent to maintain it.
It opened in 1791, just under 30 years after the Essex Chronicle was first printed, and served as a County Court for over 220 years until its closure when courts relocated to New Street.
The Georgian building was designed by John Johnson and has plenty of historical features. They include a hidden corridor that was used to take prisoners from the court cells to and from the old police station was across the road.
In 1856 one person was killed and five seriously injured when a crowd surged into the building to attend a trial of five men charged with murder while poaching and a staircase collapsed. Shire Hall was also used as a home for some Essex County Council meetings between 1889 and 1938.
Shire Hall is currently no longer in public use but has been used by various production companies as a set for TV. The listed building was used as a court building for ITV's Mr Bates vs The Post Office as well as The Jury: Murder Trial on Channel 4. Since the start of 2023, Essex County Council has received more than £100,000 income for Shire Hall's use as a filming location.
In 2021 there were plans to change the building to include retail, restaurant, drinking establishment, office and 'function room' spaces. The plans were put forward by Aquila, the company behind the Bond Street development, but refused by the council.
By Matt Lee Senior Multimedia Journalist - Essex Live
