With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other funders the Town Council undertook a £1.9m project to repair, restore and convert the Guildhall and Magistrates' Court to bring them back into active use.
Tavistock Town Council worked with Tavistock Heritage Trust to create a ‘gateway’ centre for information about the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site (WHS), Council offices and a hub for access to community services.
Tavistock Town Council acquired the buildings in 2014 from the Devon Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT).
The Guildhall and Police Station, fronting Guildhall Square, are part of an outstanding urban group of medieval and 19th-century Gothic buildings in the centre of Tavistock. The complex includes the earliest surviving purpose-built combined Police Station and Courtroom in England. The complex is Grade 2* Listed, reflecting its historic and aesthetic interest.
The ground beneath the complex is Scheduled Monument number 29679, but the upstanding fabric is excluded from the scheduling.
The building is constructed of mostly Hurdwick Stone with granite dressings and an embattled parapet above a moulded cornice. Crocketted pinnacles to the parapets. The roofs are slate.
The window openings consist of largely square-headed frames with
hood moulds and arched head lights.
The Guildhall Gateway Centre opened to the public in December 2021 and is operated by Tavistock Town Council in partnership with Tavistock Heritage Trust (tavistockguildhall.org). If you would like to find out more about the aims of the project and the services requested please see the services briefs below and general project information.
WHAT'S NEW
Click on the below link to access the Tavistock Guildhall Gateway Centre Project Evaluation Report 2022 - an independent evaluation report commissioned by Tavistock Town Council.
(Archive Only)
Tavistock welcomes the World Heritage Site Partnership Board to the newly started Guildhall Restoration Project.
Delivery Stage (Archive Only)
Progress Reporting
1. Council Minutes seeking borrowing approval 19th November 2019
2. Council submits Application for borrowing approval 27th November 2019.
3. Town Council receives borrowing approval for the Guildhall Gateway Centre - 5th February 2020.
To View Tender Documentation(Archive Only)
Development Stage (Archive Only)
HLF Round 2 Application (Archive Only)
5. Appendices - Please click on the links below:
6.Design Team - Please click on the links below:
7. RIBA 3 Cost Report
8. Interpretation Plan and Appendices
9. Interpretation Design
10. Management and Maintenance Plan- Please click on the links below:
13. THT Progress Report for HLF
14. Confirmation of THI Charity Status
15. Letters of Support - Please click on the links below:
- Calstock Parish Council
- The South West Police Heritage Trust - Page 1
- The South West Police Heritage Trust - Page 2
- Tavistock Primary School
- Tavistock Town Council
- Devon County Council / Historic England
- Cornish Mining Heritage/Tavistock College/Whitchurch Primary School/Calstock Parish Archive Trust/Tavistock Bid/Tavistock Dist Chamber of Commerce
- Rotary Tavistock/Tavistock Lions/Tavistock Museum/Tavistock/District Local History Society/Devon History Society
Tavistock Guildhall Gateway Project Past Services Briefs (Archive Only)
Tavistock Town Council (the Council) is seeking a suitably-experienced Quantity Surveyor in connection with the delivery of the capital building works for its £1.65M Guildhall Gateway Project. Tender deadline: 12 pm, Tuesday, 28th August 2018.
Tavistock Guildhall Gateway Project Quantity Surveyor Services Brief
Quantity Surveyor Services - Tender Response Form
Tavistock Guildhall Gateway Project Interpretation Consultancy Services Tender
Tavistock Town Council (the Council) is seeking a suitably-experienced heritage interpretation consultant to deliver an exciting heritage interpretation scheme as part of its £1.65M Guildhall Gateway Project, which is supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Tender deadline: 12 pm, Thursday, 16th August 2018.
Tavistock Guildhall Gateway Project Interpretation Scheme Delivery Consultancy Brief
Tavistock Town Council - Tender Response Form Interpretation Consultancy Services
Project Management Consultancy
2. Project Manager-Tender Response Form
Project Manager-Tender Response Form - Word Version
3. Project Manager-Procurement Brief
Tavistock Guildhall Gateway Centre Project Governance Structure Delivery Phase
HLF Round 2 Background Information ( Archive Only)
Business Plan Consultancy Services Brief
Appointed Provider - Heritage Business Consulting
Activity, Interpretation and Learning Consultancy Services Brief
Appointed Provider - Gamble Fearon Partnership
Appointed Provider - Gillespie Yunnie Partnership
Appointed Provider - Gillespie Yunnie Partnership
Appointed Provider - Trevor Humphreys Associates
Concept and HLF Stage One Information (Archive Only)
You can find out more about the project concept and background information by reading the documents below.
Supplementary information submitted at Stage 1:
- Permission to Start
- Tavistock Potential Key Centre
- Guildhall Project Activity & Audience Potential
- Tavistock Interpretation Strategy
- Tavistock World Heritage Site Key Centre Learning Strategy