Magistrates Court Petty Sessions

BRISTOL

ST5873SE BRIDEWELL STREET, Broadmead 901-1/11/476 (East side) 04/03/77 Magistrates Court Petty Sessions

GV II

Magistrates Court. 1879. By Josiah Thomas. Limestone ashlar with terracotta dressings, roof not visible. Courts round central courtyards. Italianate style with Baroque details. 3 storeys; 7-window range. 1:3:3 windows, the middle section set back, a plinth to a banded ground floor, ground- and first-floor cornices, first-floor sill band and modillion cornice and parapet. A central doorway has paired fluted pilasters to an entablature with foliate terracotta panels, an open segmental pediment containing the City arms, with a seated statue of Justice above. Entrance lobby has tall plinths to paired Ionic columns and antae and a modillion cornice, flanking niches with rounded bases. The left-hand section has middle windows set back; ground-floor windows have panelled pilaster jambs, terracotta apron panels and projecting cornice sections, first-floor windows have panelled jambs with consoles to projecting cornice sections, and second-floor with architraves with curled shoulders to the aprons; horned plate-glass sashes. INTERIOR: large lobby with half panelling and a coved ceiling with a lantern; a passage leads to an ornate rear hall with glazed tiled walls, green wainscotting, cream above with green panels, with blue plinths to granite bases and black granite Ionic columns with fluted necks, in groups of 4, paired granite pilasters, and panelled cross beams, with stained glass lanterns; courts have half panelling and coved ceilings. (Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural History: Bristol: 1979-: 358).

Listing NGR: ST5890173280