COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND ATTACHED WALLS, PIERS AND RAILINGS

COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND ATTACHED WALLS, PIERS AND RAILINGS, 118, CHURCH STREET

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Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1380388
Date first listed:: 27-May-1992
List Entry Name:: COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND ATTACHED WALLS, PIERS AND RAILINGS
Statutory Address:: COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND ATTACHED WALLS, PIERS AND RAILINGS, 118, CHURCH STREET

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Date:: 2000-11-24
Reference:: IOE01/02919/31
Rights:: © Robert E Priest. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1380388
Date first listed:: 27-May-1992
List Entry Name:: COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND ATTACHED WALLS, PIERS AND RAILINGS
Statutory Address 1:: COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND ATTACHED WALLS, PIERS AND RAILINGS, 118, CHURCH STREET

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: COUNTY COURT HOUSE AND ATTACHED WALLS, PIERS AND RAILINGS, 118, CHURCH STREET

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: The City of Brighton and Hove (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ 31241 04367

Details

BRIGHTON

TQ3104SW CHURCH STREET 577-1/40/147 (North side) 27/05/92 No.118 County Court House and attached walls, piers and railings

II

County Court. 1869. Designed by Sorby; low relief stone sculpture by Mansel Bailey. Brick in Flemish bond with stone dressings. Hipped roof of slate. Gothic Revival style. EXTERIOR: 5-window range; 4- on return; single-storey wall projection forms diaphragm arch spanning path to public entrance on return. 2 storeys over basement. Steps up to segmental, pointed-arch entrance with over- and sidelights; door of original design. The principal entrance on Church Street was designed as the Judge's Entrance; it is set in an aedicule of shallow projection, crenellated, with ornamental bands and spandrels. To left a pointed, segmental-arched opening set in wall projection, which is also crenellated and bears the inscription, County Court; in overarch panel Royal Arms sculpted in bas relief. Public entrance to large magistrate's court (see below) on the return, set in a single-storey extension containing vestibules and another room; door of original design set in flat-arched opening with cusped, quadrant corners. The elevation is asymmetrically arranged: to the left of the main entrance a pair of triple windows, each light segmental and pointed arched; between the 2 a shallow buttress with stone setbacks. An identical triplet to the right of the entrance. Continuous sill band to first-floor windows which light offices: in the first 2 ranges there are triplets, each light with cusped, quadrant corners; single light above entrance and a pair of double-light windows in 4th- and 5th-window range. All windows having sloping sills, transoms and moulded mullions. Continuous brick dentil cornice. The return is arranged more informally than the entrance; of note is the chimney-breast buttress near the corner. To the rear the red brick gives way to brown, except for the dentil cornice which is identical throughout. Traceried lights to west- and north-facing elevations of rear courtroom. Corner return stack gone; stone and brick stacks to centre and rear; that to right party wall a recent restoration. INTERIOR: room to right of Judge's entrance is Registrar's Room with a polished stone chimneypiece, and, behind, the Judge's private room. The room to the left of the Judge's entrance was the public office, which has been thrown together with the former High Bailiff's room. Off corridor leading to rear, an open well, top-lit stair with turned balusters and chamfered newels. The Court Room to the rear is the principal interior feature. It is 12.5 x 10.5m, and approached by a vestibule; 2 entrances from the left, both originally glazed, one for the public, the other for solicitors or persons having business in the Court; the portion devoted to the public was floored with what was then a new patent preparation for the reduction of sound. Noteworthy features include: panelled walls; dais to east wall; all doors original. Strutted collar-beam roof of 4 bays supported by wood posts rising from heavy stone corbels set at sill level; ornamental and historiated carving to the corbels. A smaller court adjoining was for use by the Registrar. One first-floor room for the use of the High Bailiff, the rest were occupied by the Chief Clerk, who resided on the premises. Prior to its completion, the County Court was housed in the Town Hall, Bartholomews (qv). In recent years, the building has been partially vacant, the ground floors being used as a book store and bindery by the Library across Church Street (qv). (Brighton Gazette: Brighton: 8 JULY, 1869).

Listing NGR: TQ3124104367

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 480500
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
'Brighton Gazette' in 8 July, (1869)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.