Sheffield City Hall
Encyclopedia
Sheffield City Hall is a Grade II* listed building in Sheffield
, England
, containing several venue
s, ranging from the Oval Concert Hall which seats over 2,000 people to a ballroom
featuring a sprung dance floor. It is currently operated by Sheffield International Venues
.
The large hall dominates Barker's Pool
, one of Sheffield's central squares
, which also contains the city's War Memorial
.
The building was designed in 1920 by E. Vincent Harris, but was not completed until 1932. During World War II
a bomb exploded in Barkers Pool, damaging the pillars of the building. The scars of the explosion can still be seen to this day. It is a neo-classical building with a giant portico
. The Oval Hall is the largest hall
in the building, seating 2,271 people and is commanded by an angel's chorus. This provides both natural light to the main hall and can also be used by a hidden choir whose voices are carried through the building and down onto the audience. The Grand Willis III Organ is the largest in Sheffield with over 4000 pipes and four manuals. The organ sits in a chamber situated behind the large decorative grills facing the audience.
The Oval Hall is complemented by the more intimate 500-seater Memorial Hall and the Ballroom which can host anything from after show parties to club nights and afternoon tea-dances.
In 2005, the City Hall and its surroundings were refurbished and re-developed at a cost of £12.5 million.
The hall is managed by the Sheffield City Trust
, under a 99 year lease.
Manor Operatic Society
perform their annual pantomime
here.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, containing several venue
Music venue
A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Typically, different types of venues host different genres of music...
s, ranging from the Oval Concert Hall which seats over 2,000 people to a ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
featuring a sprung dance floor. It is currently operated by Sheffield International Venues
Sheffield International Venues
Sheffield International Venues has grown rapidly over the past 10 years to become one of the largest sport, leisure and entertainment companies in Europe...
.
The large hall dominates Barker's Pool
Barker's Pool
Barker's Pool is a public plaza and street in the centre of the City of Sheffield, England. The focus of Barker's Pool is the Grade II listed First World War memorial that was unveiled on 28 October 1925...
, one of Sheffield's central squares
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
, which also contains the city's War Memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
.
The building was designed in 1920 by E. Vincent Harris, but was not completed until 1932. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a bomb exploded in Barkers Pool, damaging the pillars of the building. The scars of the explosion can still be seen to this day. It is a neo-classical building with a giant portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
. The Oval Hall is the largest hall
Hall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
in the building, seating 2,271 people and is commanded by an angel's chorus. This provides both natural light to the main hall and can also be used by a hidden choir whose voices are carried through the building and down onto the audience. The Grand Willis III Organ is the largest in Sheffield with over 4000 pipes and four manuals. The organ sits in a chamber situated behind the large decorative grills facing the audience.
The Oval Hall is complemented by the more intimate 500-seater Memorial Hall and the Ballroom which can host anything from after show parties to club nights and afternoon tea-dances.
In 2005, the City Hall and its surroundings were refurbished and re-developed at a cost of £12.5 million.
The hall is managed by the Sheffield City Trust
Sheffield City Trust
Sheffield City Trust is a registered charity in the United Kingdom that owns and/or manages twelve entertainment and sports venues in Sheffield, England.-Charitable objectives:The Trust was established in 1988 with three charitable objects:...
, under a 99 year lease.
Manor Operatic Society
Manor Operatic Society
The Manor Operatic Society is an amateur operatic society based in Sheffield, England.The society was formed in the 1950s on Sheffield's Manor estate. It produces the biggest amateur pantomime in England, presented at Sheffield City Hall each year. The society presented its first pantomime in 1970...
perform their annual pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
here.