Shrewsbury’s Music Hall is a treasure trove of buildings, which can be pealed back to reveal the town’s history all the way through the ages to the 13th century.
In last week’s column I discussed the need to preserve historic buildings.
The Music Hall, which stands in the centre of Shrewsbury’s town’s square, is another example of a building which has had new life breathed into it through the centuries.
In recent years the Music Hall was the town’s theatre and famous for its sell out pantomime performances each Christmas.
Now a new theatre has been built and the Music Hall is currently being redeveloped to host the town’s museum collection, an art gallery, information centre and cafe.
Inside the Music Hall there is a unique collection of buildings including the Grade II* listed 13th Century Vaughan’s Mansion — one of only handful of early medieval defensive Hall Houses left in the UK.
This mansion has been hidden from view from the public eye for many years but will open to the public again in 2012.
People will be able to see the mansion while at the same time being impressed by a new glass facility, which will act as an educational centre.
The main part of the site is the 19th Century Music Hall and Assembly Rooms which are Grade II listed. They were designed by Edward Haycock in 1835.
The building also includes a medieval shut, which is a passageway between buildings and very common in Shrewsbury, 18th century prisons cells and a 20th century nuclear bunker.
With the new restorations, the aim is to remove some of the 1960s sections of the building such as the boiler room and use the site to reflect the changes in Shrewsbury during seven centuries.
The redevelopment is a £10 million project but will mean this wonderful building can be used again in the future.
It’s time as a theatre may be over but it will still attract visitors from around the world.
But the movement of the town’s museum to the Music Hall does mean new life needs to be found for its previous home at Rowley’s House, which was too small to display all the collections.
Rowley’s House is a 16th Century mansion and stands proudly at the end of the town.
But due to its age, it was no longer suitable as a museum as it had no disabled access.
While work continues at the Music Hall, the building has acted as a visitor centre but a new purpose will need to be found for it in 2012.
But with so many people campaigning for Rowley’s House, I’m sure a future will soon be secured for the iconic building.
