Numbers 31 To 34 And Attached Railings And Gas Light

Numbers 31 to 34, along with the attached railings and gas light, comprise former County Court and High Court premises, now shops and offices. The building was constructed in 1870 and converted around 1987, designed by T.C. Sorby. It is built of rusticated ashlar on the ground floor, with red brick and stone dressings above, and the roof is not visible. Cast-iron railings are attached.

The building is of two distinct parts, with the left range (the County Court) being of two storeys, plus a basement and an attic, while the right range (the High Court) is of three storeys and a basement. The left range has a 1:3:1:3:1 window arrangement, with quoined pilasters defining the central and outer bays. Central and end entrances feature columns supporting a Doric entablature, with balustrading above the end entrances. The ground floor arcaded recesses have paired pilasters, moulded imposts and keyblocks, and round-headed sash windows. Above these are tall round-headed windows with keyblocks, moulded architraves with pediments, and smaller square windows above. A heavy dentilled cornice tops the left range. The right range has a rusticated ashlar ground floor, featuring round arch windows and a doorway, all with heavy dentilled cornices and carved spandrels to the windows. The first floor has sash windows in moulded architraves, large cornice hoods on console brackets, and aprons joining the hoods of the ground-floor windows and door. The second floor has segmental-headed windows in rectangular architraves with keyblocks and a continuous sill course. A heavy dentilled eaves course features large ornate modillion brackets.

The interior was not inspected.

The attached railings consist of a heavy, square-section geometric strapwork design with central two-leaf gates in front of the County Court centre, and slender railings with bud finials in front of the High Court on the right. A gas light is attached to the southwest corner (Change Alley), with a scrolled bracket.

Historically, Thomas Sorby succeeded Charles Reeves as County Court Surveyor in 1867 and designed courts in Bradford, Halifax, and Barnsley. In 1899 the buildings housed the County Court and the Court of Bankruptcy.