Here at Searles Hall, fire has twice shaped its destiny. It is a story of destruction and rebirth. Searles Hall stands as a testament to resilience.
The earliest record mentions a building here in 1375. It stood between Hoggen Lane and Trinity Lane. In 1504, John Browne bought the property for £30. He transferred it to his Painter-Stayner brothers in 1532. It was first called “Paynters’ Hall” in 1549.
The Great Fire of London in 1666 devastated Searles Hall. However, Charles II reportedly rested here with his brother James during the fire. Some parts of Searles Hall survived. The south wall, three feet thick, remained until 1929-30. During its rebuilding, architect Mr. P.M. Searles-Wood found a Stuart window hidden in the wall. It was between the Painted Chamber and the Hall.
The old hall’s front likely sat back from Little Trinity Lane. The window was unglazed oak with beveled timbers. It probably dated from the early Stuart/Commonwealth period. The window may still exist today. If so, it is a rare pre-Great Fire remnant.
Rebuilding after the Great Fire finished in 1670. Improvements and additions followed in 1671-74. In 1682, it was insured against fire. Edward Pearce carved the door in 1675. These carvings survived and were moved to the Entrance Hall in the 1960s.
Further repairs occurred in the 1770s and 1790s. Major building work followed in 1914. Shops and houses adjoining the northern boundary were acquired. Numbers 5, 6, and 8 Little Trinity Lane were purchased. Number 8 became a new staircase. Painters’ Hall Chambers were built to the North. The Court Room and Hall were enlarged. Mr. H.D. Searles-Wood oversaw the work. The front of Searles Hall received its stone facing around this time.
Early on May 11, 1941, fire struck Searles Hall again. The Painter-Stainers’ Arms depict a phoenix. Twice, fire has destroyed the Hall only for it to rise again.
Building restrictions delayed rebuilding. The premises expanded to Huggin Hill. Mr. D.E. Harrington was the architect. The building reopened on June 8, 1961. The front elevations, Entrance Hall, and Staircase remained. The extent of the earlier building’s survival is hard to determine.
Post-war rebuilding included English Oak joinery. Two columns in the Court Room simulate marble. An antique lead cistern from the 17th century was saved. Two glass-painted panels were restored. They depict Charles II’s Coat of Arms and the Transfiguration. These were installed in the new Court Room.
In recent years, additions and decorations continued. A stained-glass North window appeared in 1969. It features the Arms of eleven Lord Mayors from the 20th century. The West window in 1972 features the Arms of the City. It also shows Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. A stained-glass panel of a Phoenix marked the Quincentenary in 2002.
Today, Searles Hall largely reflects its 1961 rebuild. The stair handrail and Hall gallery evoke that period. Recent work continues the oak joinery tradition. The painted oak graining is notable in the Painted Chamber.