Old Council House, Bristol, Grade II* listed building in Corn Street, Bristol, England
The Old Council House is a neoclassical building with five bays and two large Ionic columns flanking the main entrance on Corn Street. Today it serves as a register office handling births, marriages, deaths, civil partnerships, and citizenship matters.
The present structure was completed in 1827 by architect Robert Smirke, replacing multiple earlier buildings including a medieval council house on the site. This rebuild marked a major transformation in Bristol's development during the 19th century.
The building displays portraits of British royal figures from different periods within its rooms, reflecting the town's long-standing ties to the monarchy. These artworks remain part of how visitors experience the interior today.
The building sits about 20 minutes on foot from Temple Meads station and is easy to find on Corn Street in the city center. Access is from street level, and the interior is available to visitors during regular business hours for administrative purposes.
A statue of Justice by sculptor Edward Hodges Baily crowns the roofline above the entrance, watching over Corn Street below. Below ground level, former prison cells remain and tell a different chapter of the site's past use.
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