Maidstone Town Hall - Middle Row, Maidstone, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 51° 16.410 E 000° 31.345
31U E 327184 N 5683155
Maidstone Town Hall, built in 1763, stands at the north east end of Middle Row in Maidstone. In July, 2015 the town hall had to be evacuated when smoke was observed coming from an office. The Kent Online website told the story.
Waymark Code: WMR5XH
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/14/2016
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member saopaulo1
Views: 1

The Kent Online website, part of the Kent Messenger Newspaper Group reported the evacuation of Maidstone Town Hall:

Maidstone Town Hall in Middle Row, Maidstone evacuated after reports of smoke coming from office.

Maidstone town hall was evacuated this afternoon following a fire scare.

Firefighters were scrambled to the building, in Middle Row, at around 11.45am after smoke started coming from an electrical socket in an office belonging to the Mayor's PA.

Staff were evacuated while crews searched the building with a thermal imaging camera.

Firefighters left when they had made sure the room was safe, at around 12.10pm, and workers were allowed to return to the building.

Maidstone Town Hall is Grade II* listed 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.

The Visit Maidstone website tells us about the Town Hall:

Maidstone Town Hall is a fine Georgian building originally dated 1763 used as the Magistrate's Courts. Above the richly decorated council chamber is the old prison cell where you can still see graffiti carved by prisoners awaiting deportation.

To see inside the Town Hall, book a Town Hall tour that take place on the 1st Saturday of the month.

Type of publication: Newspaper

When was the article reported?: 05/02/2015

Publication: Kent Online

Article Url: [Web Link]

Is Registration Required?: no

How widespread was the article reported?: local

News Category: Business/Finance

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