Assize Courts

The Assize Courts in Lincoln were built in 1823 by Sir Robert Smirke. The building features a south entrance porch added in the early 20th century. Constructed from ashlar with slate roofs, it has four coped ashlar side wall stacks and is designed in a crenellated Gothick style.

The exterior includes a chamfered plinth, eaves bands, and parapets, along with crenellated octagonal corner turrets. The structure is two storeys high and consists of nine bays. It has pointed arched windows with hoodmoulds. The central three bays project outward and feature a central four-centred arched doorway flanked by multiple shafts, above which are three 2-light windows. The Royal arms are displayed in the parapet above these windows. On either side of the entrance, there are arcaded passages with five bays, leading to a square pavilion with a single lancet. Each passage contains five 2-light windows and doors at each end topped with lamp brackets. Above these doors, there are three smaller lancets. The north and south ends of the building have buttresses and five single lancets, with the south end featuring a hipped single-storey porch in an L-plan. The rear elevation has two wings, each three bays wide, with roofs parallel to the main range, flanking a lower central section, all topped with parapets. The inner gables of the wings each have three lancets with latticed iron glazing bars.

Inside, the entrance leads to a central stairway with three chamfered pointed arched openings. The outer arches are fitted with glazed screens. Both courtrooms have stepped stone floors, Gothick friezes with blind arcading and shafts above, and cross-beamed ceilings decorated with dogtooth patterns. The Criminal Court (No.1) features a moulded cornice with angel corbels, while the Civil Court (No.2) has corbels and a frieze above the judge's seat. Both courts include arcaded panelled enclosures for the magistrates and ogee canopies over the judges' seats. Above these, there are panelled galleries supported by 20th-century octagonal piers, along with 20th-century panelled wooden fittings and seats. The No.1 Court retains a 19th-century dock.