Dragon Weathervane - Middle Row, Maidstone, UK
N 51° 16.409 E 000° 31.330
31U E 327167 N 5683154
This weathervane sits atop a cupola on the top of Maidstone Town Hall. The cupola, that contains a bell, is located on the north west side of the building.
Waymark Code: WMR5Q4
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/13/2016
Views: 1
The weathervane has a gold coloured ball at its base with a black, wrough iron pivot rising to the sail. Ornate, wrought ironwork, also painted black, extends from the pivot and has the compass cardinal marks, "N", "S", "E" and "W", at the outer ends. They are painted gold. The weathervane shows a dragon, or some similar mythical creature, standing on four legs with its wings erect. The head has an arrow, indicating fire, from its mouth and the direction pointer is an extended tail with an arrowhead at the end. The body and wings act as the sail. The dragon and ground on which it stands are painted gold.
The Town Hall is a Grade II* listed building with the entry at the Historic England website telling us:
Built 1762-3. The ground floor was originally used as a market, then converted into the police court. 2 storeys. 7 windows, the easternmost and westernmost ones slightly set back. Ground floor Portland ashlar above red brick with stone dressings. Stone modillion cornice and brick parapet with pediment, above the 3 easternmost windows of the non-recessed portion. Cupola of 8 Ionic columns supporting a small dome surmounted by a gilded ball and weather vane. 1st floor windows in stone architrave surrounds with pediments over, alternately triangular and curved. Large round-headed windows on the ground floor flanked by pilasters, with a stringcourse above the ground floor. 2 round-headed doorways with large semi-circular fanlights and doors of 6 moulded panels. The east end of the building forms a canted bay of 3 windows. The Council Chamber contains a fine Rococo painted ceiling and drops of musical instruments on the wall by Galli and Cotti. 2 C18 pedimented overmantels, and 6 fielded panelled doors. There are also 2 large cells with graffiti carved by the prisoners. This was used as a prison before the prison along Boxley Road was built and incorporates timbers from an earlier timber-framed building on the site.
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