The Old Shire Hall And Law Courts

This is a law court and former shire hall built between 1753 and 1758 by William and David Hiorn of Warwick, working to a design by the gentleman-architect Sanderson Miller (1716-1780). It represents one of Miller's two most ambitious works, the other being Hagley Hall in Worcestershire (1754-1760). Though Miller is perhaps better known for his early revival of Gothic building, this commission is executed in a conventional classical style employing a full Corinthian order.

Materials and Construction

The main elevation was entirely refaced in 1948 in Hollington stone following wartime deterioration that had made the original stonework dangerous. The roofs are slate-covered. Despite severe restrictions on building stone availability in the years immediately after the Second World War, permission was granted for this essential work.

Layout

The building runs north-south, with its principal elevation facing Northgate Street. The plan form is distinctive: a single large room (the former Shire Hall) occupies the front range, with three octagonal rooms—a central hall flanked by two court rooms—arranged to the rear, creating an irregular outline at the back of the building.

External Appearance

The main elevation presents as a high single-storey composition of nine bays articulated with a full Corinthian order rising from a rusticated plinth. The three-bay central section is pedimented and features attached columns with pedestals. The large round-headed entrance, distinguished by an elaborate keystone, contains two fielded and panelled doors hung folding beneath a decorative wrought-iron fanlight. Round-headed niches flank this central doorway. The main pediment displays a central heraldic cartouche bearing the County Council coat-of-arms, added during the 1947-1948 refacing, surrounded by swags of fruit and flowers.

The three-window wings extending to either side of the central section have pilasters marking the bays, with paired pilasters at the end bays. Window openings feature architraves with pedimented entablatures and contain six-over-six sash windows. Swags similar to those in the main pediment run between the capitals across each bay of the range.

Interior

The Former Shire Hall

The main entrance opens directly into the former Shire Hall, a full-height room with a coved compartmental ceiling featuring foliate-carved and painted decoration. The rear wall, originally a screen wall open to the courts to allow spectators to view proceedings, was walled-in around 1780. This wall displays plain panels between stone Corinthian half-columns with entablature, and a central round-arched opening with reeded surround and projecting keystone flanked by round-headed niches. The composition deliberately mirrors the design and layout of the main elevation externally. Inserted entrance doorways now provide access to the court rooms behind. The end walls are constructed in ashlar and feature Corinthian pilasters with later central entrance doorways having moulded stone surrounds. The hall was re-floored in timber in the mid-19th century; at that time a moveable gallery was also erected over the entrance passageway to the courts, though this was permanently removed in the 20th century.

The Court Rooms

Both court rooms are octagonal in plan, with segmental-domed roofs carried on Corinthian columns and top-lit by octagonal lanterns. The domes display elegant plaster decoration in foliate designs. Each court room retains its tiered hardwood seating, with judges' seats positioned beneath pedimented canopies. A gallery with decorative wrought-iron railings runs around the upper level of each court. These spaces underwent alterations in 1844 and 1846 but remain remarkably intact and retain their historic fixtures and fittings, which are of high quality in both design and execution.

The Rear Hall and Grand Jury Room

The octagonal hall to the rear, featuring Doric columns and a compartmental ceiling, serves as the main circulation space. Above it sits the former Grand Jury Room, altered and possibly enlarged between 1769 and 1772, now functioning as a third court room. This room has a deeply-coved ceiling with moulded cornice, dado and architraves, and plaster ceiling decoration.

Historical Context

County courts for Warwickshire were held during the Middle Ages in a hall attached to the county gaol in Gerrard Street. By 1576, courts were being conducted in a building in Northgate Street already known as the Shire Hall, indicating that county business was being carried out there in addition to its judicial functions. Having become county property, this building was rebuilt between 1676 and 1680 under the supervision of William Hurlbutt, who likely designed it. A contemporary drawing, possibly by Nicholas Hawksmoor, depicts a classical building with an Ionic order and central pedimented entrance gateway. This 17th-century Shire Hall was badly damaged in the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694 but was repaired and continued in use afterwards.

Despite the imposing character of the structure shown in the Hawksmoor drawing—then less than eighty years old—the Shire Hall was completely rebuilt on its existing site in 1753-1754, creating the building that survives today. William and David Hiorn of Warwick, prolific architects and builders of considerable distinction, described themselves as builders and surveyors for the project, suggesting they may have contributed to at least part of the design, though Sanderson Miller is credited as the principal designer.

Later Alterations

Beyond the modifications already mentioned, the building received further alterations. A small suite of rooms for judges, barristers and witnesses was added to the rear, though these were later replaced when new County Council offices were constructed behind the courts and the adjacent County Gaol and Militia Barracks building during the 1930s. The passages below the courts leading to the holding cells, dating originally from the late 18th or mid-19th century, were also remodelled at this time.

Setting and Group Value

The Old Shire Hall and Law Courts have strong group value with the adjacent former County Gaol to the north (listed Grade I) and Judges' House immediately to the south (listed Grade II), with both of which they share a functional relationship, and also with the large number of other listed buildings lining both sides of Northgate Street.