Stone Hall The Stone Hall at the maison Dieu, Dover

The Maison Dieu, is the oldest of the Town Hall buildings, and was founded by Hubert de Burgh, then Constable of Dover Castle in 1203.  It was not built as a church as many have thought, but to provide short term accommodation for pilgrims travelling to or from the continent. Over the last 800 years the building has seen many owners and fulfilled many functions from military store to Council Chamber, from centre of local justice and punishment to concert hall.

The Maison Dieu was a large and important example of a medieval hospital founded from 1050AD onwards.  These hospitals were at one time as numerous and better known as monasteries.  The hospital in 1203AD was probably only a large open hall with a kitchen and living quarters attached for the Master and Brethren who practised hospitality to all strangers. Wounded and destitute soldiers, some staying as permanent pensioners as well as pilgrims were accommodated, with the shrine of Thomas à Becket in Canterbury ensuring a steady flow of visitors. 

Kings also made use of the Maison Dieu, probably primarily as a meeting place as the castle was well equipped with Royal apartments.  However, good quality and probably expensive hospitality of some sort would have been required as well as board and lodging for members of the Royal household.

A chapel was added to the hall in 1227 and consecrated during a service at which Henry III was present. This chapel was converted into a courtroom and still survives today.

Between 1544 and 1834 the premises became a military store house.  The Master and Brethren of the Hall signed an oath acknowledging the 1534 Act of Supremacy, giving Henry VIII supreme headship of the Church of England.  This formally ended all religious connections with the Maison Dieu.  However, the hospital was not surrendered to the Crown until 1544.  This long delay is almost certainly due to the position of favour that the Master of the hospital held with the King. The Crown used the brew houses, bake houses, barns, stables and land as a supplies base for the army and navy until 1830.

Between 1830 and 1834 the Board of Ordnance briefly used the Maison Dieu as a depot, but in 1834 it was re-sold to the Corporation of Dover who wanted to turn the Maison Dieu into a Civic Centre of which Dover could be proud. At first, the building was only used as a meeting place for the Town Council. The prison was built below and to one side of the hall. There was a great desire to fully restore the building but little was done until 1851 when a well known Victorian architect, Mr Ambrose Poynter, was suggested to carry out work.

Seven years later, a proper programme of restoration began at last and was funded almost completely by the Council and managed by William Burges.  Burges, who was also a famous Victorian architect, admired the style of medieval craftsmen and builders. This can be seen in his work: look at the grotesque animals around doorways, and in the coats of arms of the Lord Wardens of the Cinque Ports ranged along each side of the hall.

It is thought that The Stone Hall with its magnificent pictures, stained glass, Cinque Ports Volunteer Flags, arms and armour is the "Great Chamber" built in 1253. The hall is 124 ft long by 28 ft wide with 4 ft thick walls, strengthened by buttresses. The six windows on the south front of the hall are Victorian copies of the original Medieval windows.

The Victorian stained glass windows depict six Lord Wardens of the Cinque Ports in scenes from Dover's past. They were designed by Sir E. J. Poynter.  The Square Tower attached to the hall was also built in the 14^th Century.

The Council Chamber at the end of the Maison Dieu Hall also designed by Burges was added in 1867.  The Connaught Hall, adjacent to the Maison Dieu was built between 1881 and 1883 as a meeting and concert hall for the town. The building also contains the rooms used by Dover's Mayor and Charter Trustees. All were designed by William Burges, but completed after his death by Pullan and Chapple, his partners.

The Maison Dieu is still a "living" building and is one of the main meeting halls in the district used for conferences, banquets, fairs and concerts. It is therefore not always possible to view all or some parts of the building at all times.