Nisi Prius Courthouse, Associated Offices And Gate Arch

The Nisi Prius Courthouse, along with its associated offices and gate arch, was originally known as The Citadel. It was constructed in 1542 by Stephen von Haschenperg and underwent alterations and additions between 1809 and 1812 by Thomas Telford and Sir Robert Smirke. The building is made of red sandstone ashlar set on a chamfered plinth, featuring string courses, a machicolated cornice in parts, and battlemented parapets. The offices have a 20th-century greenslate roof without chimneys, while the tower has a hipped lead roof. The tower, which was formerly the Nisi Prius Court, is oval in shape and is based on the former east tower of the Citadel, heightened and refaced in the 19th century.

The northwest side of the tower is adjoined by a two-storey office block, which internally has three storeys and consists of six bays. This block has a mock gate projection into English Street and is designed in the Gothic style. The tower features tall two-light windows set in rounded, deeply-recessed chamfered arches, above smaller lancets and two-light openings. The office block has double plank doors set in a pointed Gothic arch, and there is a similar off-centre doorway that projects into a battlemented porch, which now has a casement window. The ground floor has stone mullioned windows with two, three, and four lights, each topped with central trefoil heads in pointed arches.

The gate projection serves as an elongated passageway to the court and ends with two octagonal turrets flanking a central arch under a cross vent. The side walls of the passageway have been pierced by two pointed arches created in 1929, as the pavement previously went around the turrets. The left return features windows similar to those on the main facade, although some are from the 20th century, and there are blind statue niches. The rear of the building has had some 20th-century windows inserted.

Inside the tower, the original galleried semicircular court seating and judges' bench are still present, although the court ceased operation in 1971. The ceiling was replicated during renovations in the 1980s, and much of the external stonework was also replaced during this restoration. The interior of the office block has been extensively altered. For further details, additional references can be found in the Crown Court description.