East Suffolk County Hall


East Suffolk County Hall is a historic building located in St Helens Street in Ipswich. It is a Grade II listed building.

History

The original county hall building was designed by William McIntosh Brooks in the Tudor style and completed in 1837. It was originally used as a prison and as a facility for dispensing justice but, following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, it also became the meeting place of East Suffolk County Council in 1906.
The proceedings for the divorce between Wallis Simpson and Ernest Simpson took place at the county hall with the decree nisi being granted on 27 October 1936. On 16 November 1936 King Edward VIII announced his intention to marry Wallis Simpson leading to the abdication crisis.
Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1972 it became the headquarters of Suffolk County Council in 1974 before the County Council decided to move out of the building to more modern premises in 2003. The Council moved to Endeavour House in Ipswich the following year and County Hall is now owned by Rainbow Developments. It was placed on the local buildings at risk register in 2011.