Royal County (Shrewsbury)

• Theatre ID
  1238
• Built / Converted
  1834
• Current state
  Fragmental remains
• Current use
  converted to other use (retail store) <br> (Site in theatre use from c.1791)
• Address
  18 Shoplatch, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England

Details

The site has been occupied by a theatre since about 1791. The 1898 theatre incorporated some fabric from the second 1834 New Theatre on the same site. The axis of that theatre lay parallel to Shoplatch. The stage was to the left. The façe, which was incorporated by Briggs, originally had three statues in niches, but was altered after a fire in 1945. It is 30.5m (100ft) long, now rendered with tall windows but, even in its altered state, it is recognisable as deriving from the original 1834 design. The two end and opposite long walls are of red sandstone blocks with red brick at the upper levels suggesting that during the rebuild of 1898 all the walls were raised and a fly tower added. Remains of a winch system for hoisting scenery to the first floor stage level can be seen on the stage right outer wall. The theatre never reopened after the 1945 fire but was gutted and became a shop. Floors have been inserted internally corresponding more or less to the original stalls, circle and gallery levels. The lower two are used as a shop, the upper two for storage. The proscenium opening is visible on floors one and two. On the top floor, part of the auditorium ceiling can be seen, at the centre of which is the outer ring of the former dome. The building is not rectangular. The stage was considerably narrower than the rear width of the auditorium. The gallery was probably around 11m (36ft) wide whereas the rear stage wall is only 7.4m (24ft 3in) wide. The stage grid, fly galleries and safety curtain guides can still be seen. It is difficult to envisage how this much altered building could ever be returned to theatre use.

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• Other names
  Chalton Hall, Theatre, Theatre Royal, Picture House
• Events
  • 1791 Design/Construction: theatre constructed within medieval building
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1834 Alteration: new theatre on site
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1887 Alteration: alterations
    • J L Randal - Architect
  • 1888 Alteration: alterations
    • J L Randal - Architect
  • 1898 Alteration: new theatre incorporating some old fabric
    • John P Briggs - Architect
  • 1912 Alteration: converted to the Picture House
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1931 Alteration: talkies installed and reopened with rear projection
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1945 Alteration: gutted and converted to shop
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1898 Design/Construction:
    • F de Jong (London) - Consultant: Fibrous Plaster
  • 1791 - 1796 Owner/Management: Miel (or Myell), lessee and manager (also of Ludlow, Wolverhampton and Worcester)
  • 1817 - 1819 Owner/Management: Tomlins, lessee and manager
  • 1821 Owner/Management: Crisp, lessee and manager (of Cheltenham and Worcester)
  • 1834 - 1840 Owner/Management: Griffiths, lessee and manager
  • 1887 - 1895 Owner/Management: Mrs Maddox, proprietor
  • 1895 Owner/Management: W H Maddox, proprietor
  • 1904 - 1908 Owner/Management: W C Dornton, licensee (of Birmingham Royal)
  • 1912 Owner/Management: Cinema Theatres (Midland) Ltd, lessees
  • 1914 Owner/Management: Until when not known. E R Maddison, proprietor
  • 1925 - 1931 Owner/Management: C A Kimberley, F Lister, lessees
  • 1934 Owner/Management: Regent Cinema Circuit
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 31ft 3in Width: 29ft inside pros, 24ft 3in along rear
  • Proscenium width: 17ft
• Unreliable anecdotes
  Stage Guide 1912 gives the proscenium opening as 28ft