Manual Ref* NFbreTH009 Show 4 images 787
Title*

Thetford Guildhall, Coats of Arms and Keystone
County Norfolk   District Council Breckland Council 
Civil Parish or equivalent Thetford  Town/Village* Thetford 
Road Market Place 
Precise Location Guildhall 
OS Grid Ref TL872828  Postcode IP24 
Previous location(s)  
Setting On building  Access Public 
Artist/Maker Role Qualifier
H.J. Green  Architect(s)   

Commissioned by

 Thetford Borough Council 

Design & Constrn period

 Before 1760 (Royal coat of arms) and 1902 

Date of installing

  

Exact date of unveiling

  

Category
Abstract Animal Architectural
Commercial Commemorative Composite
Free Functional Funerary
Heraldic Military Natural
Non-Commemorative Performance Portable
Religious Roadside, Wayside Sculptural
Temporary, Mobile Other  

Object Type
Building Clock Tower Architectural
Coat of Arms Cross Fountain
Landscape Marker Medallion
Mural Panel Readymade
Relief Shaft Sculpture
Statue Street Furniture War Memorial
Other Object Sub Type: Coats of arms and keystone

Subject Type
Allegorical Mythological Pictorial
Figurative Non-figurative Portrait
Still-life Symbolic Other

Subject Sub Type
Bust Equestrian Full-length
Group Head Reclining
Seated Standing Torso
Part Material Dimension
Thetford Coat of arms in cartouche  Stone  H. 2.5 W. 1.5 metres 
Royal Coat Coat of Arms  Stone  Approx. H. & W. 2.5 metres 
Keystone  Stone  H. 50 W. 20 cms 

Work is
Extant Not Sited Lost

Owner/Custodian

 Thetford Town Council 

Listing status
Grade I Grade II* Grade II Don't Know Not Listed

Surface Condition
Corrosion, Deterioration Accretions
Bird Guano Abrasions, cracks, splits
Biological growth Spalling, crumbling
Metallic staining Previous treatments
Other  
Detail: Wear on Town's coat of arms

Structural Condition
Armature exposed Broken or missing parts
Replaced parts Loose elements
Cracks, splits, breaks, holes Spalling, crumbling
Water collection Other
Detail:

Vandalism
Graffiti Structural damage Surface Damage
Detail:

Overall condition
Good Fair Poor

Risk
No Known Risk At Risk Immediate
Signatures/Marks  
Inscriptions On royal coat of arms: DIEU ET MON DROIT/ HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE GII R 

Description (physical)

 The town coat of arms are set to the left of the entrance in a cartouche. The royal ones supported by a strikingly lively lion and unicorn are on the pediment of the offices to one side. The bearded man shown in the keystone with the worry lines on his forehead looks more like a portrait than one of the 'wildmen' types so often found in a similar position. 

Description (iconographical)

 The Royal coat of arms are those of George II (1683-1760) and must have come from the first Guildhall, which was reconstructed in 1799, before being rebuilt, to the same plan by H.J. Green in 1902. 

Photographs

 Date taken:  19/1/2007
Date logged: 

Photographed by:
Sarah Cocke

On Site Inspection

 Date:  19/1/2007

Inspected by:
Richard Cocke

Sources and References

 Pevsner, N. and Wilson B., Buildings of England.Norfolk 2: North West and South, New Haven and London, 1997 711; imagesofengland.org.uk, accessed 20/1/2008 

Database

 Date entered:  20/1/2008

Data inputter:
Richard Cocke