Court House And Police Station

The building is a courthouse and police station constructed between 1903 and 1908 by John Dixon Butler, designed in the Edwardian Baroque style. It is built of red brick with Portland stone dressings, with the third floor and ground floor entirely stone-fronted. The base is of worked granite blocks. The building is four storeys high and nine window bays wide, displaying a symmetrical design. A curved single-storey wall extends to the west, with gate piers defining the police station yard to the east. The central bay is recessed and stone-fronted, containing the main entrance and porch. Above the entrance is a triangular pediment enclosing a stone carved Royal coat-of-arms. Below this is a Venetian window with rusticated columns and a balustrade, above a curved porch supported by two Roman Ionic columns. The stone-fronted attic storey is pierced by circular windows, topped by a wide stone bracket eaves cornice. The windows on the first and second floors have double sashes with pedimented heads to those on the first floor. The building features end pilasters. The ground floor has six round-headed openings and two three-light canted bays adjoining the entrance doorcase.

The interior features a spacious waiting hall with leaded and glazed windows depicting letters representing Edward VII, created by Morris and Co. A coloured mosaic floor, bearing “MP” (Metropolitan Police) letters, was crafted by Diespeker and Co. A fine double-flight staircase leads to a smaller courtroom on the first floor. Original light fittings and Renaissance-style niches on the landing wall remain. The hall is lit by a coloured glazed dome. The main courtroom is located on the ground floor, and both courtrooms are panelled. The main courtroom includes a curved dais wall and an inbuilt bookcase. Other staircases have chunky, square newel posts, a characteristic feature of Dixon Butler’s station designs.

The building is considered one of London’s finest Edwardian civic structures and originally incorporated courtrooms, a police station, living quarters, and cell blocks to the rear.