Clun town hall - Edward Clive's legacy

by Jean Withers
(Clun Courier Issue Number 121: August 2000)

There is a tradition that Clun's Town Hall was built following a bitter quarrel between the townsfolk and their Lord of the Manor, Edward Clive. The builder and date are not in doubt. The Town Hall was built by Edward Clive in 1780. This was six years after he had inherited the Lordship and Honor of Clun, together with the Walcot Estate, from his father, Robert, the famous 'Clive of India'. This position gave Edward not only prestige, but administrative and legal responsibilities. These included co-operation with the townsfolk's representatives, the burgesses. He was only in his early twenties and it is not surprising that he upset them!

The burgesses' grievances were recorded over 50 years later in 1833, when Clun, along with many other small boroughs, was given a 'general inspection' by Government Commissioners. This took the form of an enquiry into all matters, past and present, relating to the nature and extent of town affairs, in order to determine whether borough status was to be continued. Some of the evidence submitted was documentary, but most was recorded in 'Question and Answer' Sessions and, if past history, could not easily be validated. When the matter of a 'Lock-up House under the Town Hall' was raised it appeared that there was an ancient grudge against Clun's Lord of the Manor, the same Edward Clive, now Earl of Powis and now in his seventies. The Commissioners listened patiently and made the record we can read today, concluding with, 'Of course this amounts only to their own allegation, made at a remote period, as to the right. '

The burgesses stated that prior to 1780 they had had their own courthouse, 'adjoining to the castle (now in ruins); that it had two entrances, one to the lord's own court, the other to that of the borough; that the borough court was in fair order, wainscoted with a place of confinement for prisoner underneath. Whereas the lord's court was an un-floored and ruinous barn.' The summary of their complaint was that the ancient court-house of the borough had been pulled down by the lord of the manor.' Nothing can be seen of this building today, but the present Bowling Green has been regarded as its most likely site. It seems that Edward Clive ordered the removal of all the usable stone for the new building. He planned to have a small market hall and 'lock-up' at ground level and a room above to serve as a court-house. The new building was to become Clun Town Hall.

Prompted by Clive’s energy and resources, Clun was following the trend set by other Shropshire towns. For, during the mid-to-late 18th Century, even small towns with little wealth were beginning to express their civic pride in such buildings. In design the Town Hall followed the current classical trend with its simple rectangular shape, its hipped roof and the symmetrical arrangement of its windows. Equally stylish were the dropped keystones in the arches above the two doorways and to above the two unglazed ground floor windows. These arches were built in sandstone ashlar, a stone perhaps not used before in largely on its locally available grey siltstone. The same sandstone ashlar was used elsewhere in the building, for its lower courses on its 'public sides' facing the Market Square and main roadway, for the string courses above the two lower windows, for the lintels above the two upper windows, and for the arch above the central, semicircular window. Siltstone was used for the rest of the building. The eaves were elaborated with a moulded wooden cornice. On the hipped, stone slated roof was a bell cote crowned with a pyramidal roof, finial and weather vane. In one particular the new building defied classical design by having a dormer gable above the semi-circular window in the centre bay of the south front. This gable has not survived the years, but a photograph taken in the 1860's gives some idea of its appearance and purpose. Its eaves line, with cornice, was set higher than the rest of the building and the whole centre bay projected a few inches beyond the building line, as can be seen today. The purpose of the gable was to display a sandstone carving of Edward Clive's Coat of Arms. When the gable was demolished the carving was placed on the wall above the west door facing Market Square and, though much weathered, its date is still readable, MICCLXXX. Two rampant beasts, an elephant and a griffin, hold a I circlet, which contains three stars and is surmounted by a crown. Around its edge is Clive's motto, now much worn and unreadable. Carved there was - TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO - Three in One. Clun Town Hall has more than fulfilled the pur- poses for which it was built and a few more have been added since. The upper room remained in use as a courthouse until 1949 and from 1894 it became the regular meeting room of the Parish Council. Today's needs convert it as required into a Saleroom, Art Gallery, Demonstration Centre or just a Useful Meeting Place. The ground floor was used on Market Days until market traders ceased to come to Clun in the late 1920's. In 1932 the space was converted into Clun Museum. A stout chain, securely attached in one corner there, is always pointed out as proof that the area was once used as a jail.

The Town Hall became the property of Clun in 1928 when the 4th Earl of Powis handed over the keys to the Parish Council. With the keys came ongoing responsibility for maintenance and renovations, which have been of community concern since. The 1990's saw considerable changes to the little building, helped by funding from English Heritage and generous private donations. Some of the ashlar stonework, still seriously flaking away, was replaced in 1993. The south door, with its dangerous access to the Museum from a busy street, was closed permanently in 1995. An entrance, with ramp, was made to the Museum from the west door. 1999 saw major work on the exterior of the building, which restored its dignity and style.

The roughcast over the old grey siltstone walls was repainted, the roof was extensively repaired, one third of its slates being replaced. The little bell cote was dismantled and converted into a clock tower, its finial and weather vane re-gilded to glint in the sun again. The Town Bell, long forgotten, is now in the Museum, repaired and treasured. May the same treatment continue to be given to Edward Clive's legacy in the years to come?


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Sources: 1. Report on the Borough of Clun, Government Commission, 1834. 2. 'Treasures from India - the Clive Collection at Powis Castle', The National Trust, 1987. 3. Department of Environment List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic Interest, 1985. 4. 'Memories of Clun': R.K. Moore, Shropshire Libraries, 1986. 5. 'The Centenary of the Clun Parish Council, 1894-1994', compiled by Michael Macturk, 1994