Shire Hall, Cambridge, Town hall on Castle Hill, Cambridge, England
The Shire Hall is a Neo-Georgian building on Castle Hill with fifteen bays, pilasters, and a stone balcony across its main facade. The complex was later expanded with an office building called The Octagon in the 1960s and a nuclear shelter structure in 1989.
The building was constructed in 1932 using bricks salvaged from a former prison facility. It replaced the previous County Hall that stood on Hobson Street.
The Shire Hall served as a gathering point for Cambridgeshire residents conducting official business and attending public hearings for most of the last century. Its role shaped how locals understood governance and community decisions in the region.
The building was the home of Cambridgeshire County Council until 2021, when administration relocated elsewhere. Visitors should check ahead about public access to specific areas, as the building's uses have shifted since then.
The complex contained a hidden nuclear shelter built in 1989 for emergency purposes, reflecting a lesser-known chapter of Cold War preparations. This underground facility remained largely unknown to the public for years.
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