Shire Hall, Fore Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire
This building was built as Assembly Rooms and a Court House in 1769 by James Adam. It is built on the site of an earlier Sessions House of 1627 that was built by Charter of Charles I. By Act of the Parliament of George III in 1768 a levy (tax) was imposed to finance the new Shire Hall. Advertisements were placed for a design to incorporate 2 courts, a room for the Corporation of Hertford, and both with and without a County Room. Six applicants were shortlisted. Robert and James Adam were selected. The initial cost of £4950 was exceeded by £2500. This was partly because they decided to include the County Room (Assembly Rooms) after all. The Assembly Rooms may have been the one in Jane Austen's book 'Pride and Prejudice', with Hertford as the fictional 'Merrytown'.
