Colchester Archaeological Trust

CAT Report 1206: summary

Historic building recording at the former Halstead Police Station, Trinity Street, Halstead, CO9 1JG: November 2017
by Mark Baister (with contributions from Dr Elliott Hicks)

Date report completed: January 2018
Location: the former Halstead Police Station, Trinity Street, Halstead, CO9 1JG
Map reference(s): TL 8091 3045 (c)
File size: 7,885 kb
Project type: Historic building recording
Significance of the results:
Keywords: 1851, police station, architect Thomas Hopper

Summary. A programme of historic building recording was carried out by the Colchester Archaeological Trust at the former Halstead Police Station, Trinity Road, Halstead, Essex in November 2017, ahead of its conversion to six dwellings. The Police Station and the outbuilding to the rear (formerly a cart-lodge and stable) were constructed in 1851. Since then, the police station has been the subject of five separate extensions and significant conversion and modernisation work. Despite this, several original windows and some internal features survive. Halstead Police Station and its outbuilding are classic examples of mid 19th-century Victorian architecture. Built in a Tudor Gothic style, the diamond-set flues of the chimneys are particularly emblematic of the Victorian period, hearkening back to the elaborate decorated chimneys of the 16th century. Although it is not a listed building, it was designed by a prominent architect (Thomas Hopper) and has an idiosyncratic design. It seems likely that, if a list of locally important buildings were ever created for Halstead, then it would merit inclusion.