Greenwich Magistrates Court

Greenwich Magistrates Court is a magistrates court and police station built in 1909, designed by John Dixon Butler, Architect to the Metropolitan Police. The building was constructed by Patman and Fothingham in a free Classical style. It is faced with Portland stone, with a Westmorland mansard slate roof and four stone chimneystacks. The remaining elevations are of red brick in Flemish bond.

The symmetrical exterior is two storeys and attic high, with eight bays to the central section and projecting, pedimented wings. The ground floor is rusticated. Stone balustrading runs along the central eight bays, incorporating a semi-circular tablet with the Royal Coat of Arms carved by Lawrence Turner. Six flat-roofed dormers are set behind the balustrading. The first floor has 12-light sash windows in moulded architraves with enriched keystones. Ground floor windows are large 18-pane sashes with similar keystones. A central portico features a half-dome with an urn finial, supported on four Ionic columns, and leads to a double door accessed by a flight of stone steps. Side entrance doors have bolection-moulded architraves and double doors. The projecting end wings have Ionic pilasters to the upper floors, paired 12-pane sashes with aprons to the second floor, a triple sash window to the first floor, and a curved three-light bow window to the ground floor. Further stone balustrading is present at street level.

The police station foyer, to the left of the main entrance, has a mosaic tiled floor featuring the Metropolitan Police monogram, laid by Messrs Diespeker. Leaded lights in the hall are glazed with coloured glass by William Morris and Sons. Court 1, the principal courtroom, is accessed from the foyer and has a toplit ceiling with a decorative plaster frieze around the light well. A monogram of Edward VII, in plaster, is positioned above the bench on either side of the Royal Arms, with the bench set in a curved recess, raised three steps. The courtroom retains its mostly original fittings. The original oak staircase has a square newel post with a ball finial, a moulded handrail, and turned balusters. There are two classical wooden fire surrounds in the principal offices on the first floor. Court 2 on the first floor was refurbished around 1980, and Court 3 has a separate street access and dates from around 1960.