on Hadleigh’s Guildhall
A new book charting the fascinating history of one of Hadleigh’s oldest buildings has been launched by The Hadleigh Society. Entitled A History of the Guildhall, Hadleigh, Suffolk, it is the result of over three years of meticulous research by the Society’s History Group who first produced a timeline revealing information on the building not previously known.
Research was primarily from original manuscripts and documents, many having to be translated from Latin.
In six chapters, the book recounts significant changes in use during the building’s incredibly varied history. Over its 600-plus years of life it functioned as a guildhall, market hall, cloth hall, grammar school, almshouse, workhouse, house of correction, hospital, assembly room, courthouse, fire engine store, civic centre – and even a corset factory!
Well-illustrated, the book includes the full timeline dating from May 1252 to August 2023, the authors are Sue Angland, Roger Kennell, Mark Lawrence, Sally Looker, Jan McNelly and Margaret Woods, who each researched a different aspect from the Guildhall’s medieval origins through to the 20th century.
They tell the story of its life and the significant role it played – and continues to play – in the development of the town. It was summed up neatly by Caroe Architecture, commissioned to make a report on the building:
“Decisions which would shape Hadleigh’s history were made within its walls.”
Opening the launch, Sue Monks, mayor of Hadleigh said: “We are so fortunate to have this wonderful group of buildings. From their construction they have belonged to the people of Hadleigh. We should be proud keepers of this building and it is still being used for the purposes for which it was built – a civic and community centre.”
“Hadleigh’s magnificent Guildhall has been deemed of exceptional national and international significance,” said Sue Angland, the group’s chairperson. “Nobody has done the sort of research that we have, and this is the first and only book devoted solely to the Guildhall.”
Publication of The History of the Guildhall, Hadleigh, Suffolk, was sponsored by Hadleigh Town Council, the Suffolk Local History Council and The Hadleigh Society. It is available through selected local booksellers and via this website: A History of the Guildhall Price £10.
Full text of The Mayor’s Speech
I am delighted to have the opportunity to introduce this new book about our Guildhall Complex written by the Hadleigh Society’s History Group.
We are so fortunate to have this wonderful group of buildings, the Market House, Guilds’ Hall and New Town Hall. The Market House and Guilds’ Hall are both close to 600 years old, and were joined together over 400 years ago. Both are Grade 1 listed and stand together in this triangle of the Church and Deanery Tower.
From their construction they have belonged to the People of Hadleigh and been their civic and social centre. Started by the Chieffe Inhabitants, through plague and civil war they housed the running of the Town, through the Borough, Vestry, Local Board, Urban District Council and now the Town Council are back in the building.
The story of this building is one of continuous use, from an early Grammer School through to the 19C Free School. A place for the Guilds and Charities to hold their feasts and a Workhouse to care for the Town’s poor.
Throughout the building there remain signs of its usage, from the Initials carved over the hearth in the attic room with their witch protection signs, and names scraped into the 18c extended wall of the workhouse. The Conservation Management Plan produced by Caroe Architecture in 2023 reported that both the Historic and Communal Values of these buildings are Exceptional and of international importance. And comments that “decisions which would shape Hadleigh’s history were made within its walls”.
We should be the proud keepers of this building, it has stood for almost 600 years and is still being used for the purposes for which it was built, a civic and community centre.