Sheffield Town Hall - The Main Hall

A general view of the staircase and wall panelling

I remember when walking into the Main Hall of Sheffield Town Hall for the first time, I was astounded by the array of fine decorative stones, and I can't think of another historic building that I have visited in England where they have been used so lavishly; however, although it is the wide variety of decorative stones that initially most caught my eye, the details of the archway to the entrance doorway are quite spectacular.

 The ornate arch to the entrance and the balustrade and arcade above

Depicting the local legend of the Dragon of Wharncliffe, and including the coats of arms of the City of Sheffield and the Earl of Wharncliffe, I have been puzzled by the stone which has been used here, along with that seen in the upper arcades. I have only seen it at a distance but it appears so uniform in colour and texture that I have often thought that it must have been painted.

The coats of arms of the City of Sheffield and the Earl of Wharncliffe

Without the opportunity to closely examine the stone and to undertake some very simple non-destructive tests that are second nature to a geologist – rubbing with the fingers and closely examining with a hand lens – I can't make further comment at this time.

A general view of the wall panels and arcades

That said, the colours and textures of the various polished stones used in the staircase, balustrades, wall panels, door surrounds and various other details that are repeated along various corridors that lead off it, are just there to be appreciated on a Heritage Open Day.

A detail of the wall panels and stair treads

From my own experience of surveying various quarries in England and Ireland, as well as acquiring an extensive collection of stones that formed the basis of the Triton Stone Library, I could identify a few of these - although I am by no means an expert on decorative stones.

The staircase with the statue of the Duke of Devonshire

Hopton Wood limestone, Ashburton marble and Cork Red marble, along with a couple of others that I didn't recognise, form the panelling to the walls, with Sicilian marble, Connemara marble being used for the staircase, together with alabaster for the balusters. White Carrara marble are used for the statue of the Duke of Devonshire and for the bust of Queen Victoria, with a green serpentinite used for the pedestal of the latter.

The bust of Queen Victoria