IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Cwrt Cranfield, MOLD, CH7 6GW

Rhyd-galed Toll House by the A494, in parish of Mold (Flintshire District), Rose Cottage, by traffic lights at split of the A5119. To be surveyed Milestone Society National ID: FLT.MOL02

The A5119 splits here with the main section continuing northwards to the left. A short spur branches off to the right to meet the A494 Mold Bypass at New Brighton.

Classic 1970s architecture, originally built to house the local government offices of the former county of Clwyd when it was created in 1974.

Eye-catching brutalism in North Wales.

By the A5119, in parish of Mold (Flintshire District), north of A5119 junction, White Gate, in hedge on East side of road. Inscription once read:- : (Mold / 1) : : (Flint / 5) : Surveyed Milestone Society National ID: FLT_MDHL01

By the A5119, in parish of Mold (Flintshire District), north of A5119 junction, White Gate, in hedge on East side of road. Inscription once read:- : (Mold / 1) : : (Flint / 5) : Surveyed Milestone Society National ID: FLT_MDHL01

Aerial view taken from light aircraft.

This magnificent example of good 1960's architecture was the old Shire Hall or county hall building for the then new county of Clwyd in the 1974 local governemnt reorganisation. It really must have been something to work here in the late '60's and 1970's. Now it houses Flintshire's local governemnt administration - but the building is massive, this being just the front block, with a further arrangement of wings and attached blocks behind. Furthermore it forms just a part of a complex with the magistrates or law courts and the theatre on the hill, the whole forming a huge civic centre type 'ghetto' - totally detached from the town of Mold. Geographically detached anyway.

There is something distinctly Soviet about this brutalist block towering over open countryside just outside Mold. Originally called the Shire Hall, it was very much a product of 1960s architectural thinking designed by county architect Robert Harvey and formally opened in 1968 by Princess Margaret. It brought together all the functions of the old Flintshire County Council under one roof and was no doubt seen as a vast improvement at the time by council employees. Subsequent local government reorganisation turned it into the headquarters of Clwyd County Council until Flintshire was recreated (with new boundaries and a smaller area) in 1994. Other buildings were erected on the site creating a 'county civic centre complex' - a campus comprising law courts, a library and theatre. More recently, with reduced staff numbers, consideration has been given to moving the council's administrative offices elsewhere - the cost of maintaining such a large and old fashioned building being seen as excessive for a relatively small local authority.