History of the site
A civic icon
St George’s Hall was constructed at a time of great mercantile prosperity and was intended to serve as a civic icon for the city of Liverpool. St George’s dominates the acropolis of civic edifices that greets the visitor as they emerge from Lime Street Station.
The architect Harvey Lonsdale Elmes (1814-47) won the competition to design the concert hall and the law courts, and then made a design to unite them both into one magnificent civic building. However he died when he was only 34, and the work was subsequently completed by Robert Rawlinson and Charles Robert Cockerell.
It was the architectural historian and critic Henry Russell Hitchcock who described St Georges as, ‘perhaps the most beautiful interior of the early Victorian Period’ and ‘undoubtedly the finest interior of Cockerell’s career.’ It measures 72 by 77 feet and can seat about 1,100 people. Charles Dickens is just one of the many musical and literary luminaries of the day who performed there.
Although the Hall continued in use as the city law courts until 1984, the building had fallen into a state of neglect. The campaign to restore it attracted the support of such prominent figures as HRH the Prince of Wales and the Secretary of State for the Environment.
The £23million restoration programme for the building was finally completed in spring 2007, and celebrated with a grand gala opening. Now the Heritage Centre, imaginative exhibitions, talks, concerts, reconstructions and hands-on activities vividly bring the story of St George’s Hall alive for visitors. People can follow in the steps of the unfortunate prisoners, from prison cell to the dock. It has been an epic journey indeed.
The North Entrance Hall was redecorated and disabled access was installed as part of the multi-million pound restoration