Canterbury's 15th c. Court Hall was a 3-storey timber-framed building, located on the NE side of High Street adjacent to the Red Lion Inn.
The remodelled ground floor hall was described in the 18th c. as 'a handsome and lofty room, with a spacious gallery over the door' (Gostling, Canterbury 32). A mayor's parlour was adjacent to the hall at the upper end.
Only the Norman cellar survives, incorporated in a mid-20th c. low rise commercial building.
As the seat of civic government and centre for festive occasions, Canterbury's Court Hall was probably the venue for most performances by touring entertainers before the mayor and city officials between 1450 and 1612, after which payments were consistently made to dismiss playing troupes from the city.
Demolished.
ca. 1400 Guildhall regularly mentioned in records.
1438--9 New timber-framed hall commissioned and built.
1689 Remodelling of the Court Hall began with the rebuilding of the mayor's parlour.
1697 S end of the hall rebuilt.
1806 Red Lion Inn demolished when Guildhall Street was cut through to join High and Sun Streets. The E wall of the Court Hall was rebuilt with a side entrance and windows added.
1904 Rusticated podium and Corinthian pilasters along the High Street facade extended to reface the brick wall along Guildhall Street.
1950 Declared unsafe and demolished. Site redeveloped for commercial use.
REED Kent: Diocese of Canterbury 1.72--260
