Paisley Sheriff Court

William Clarke and George Bell, 1885 with addition by George Bell, 1890 and extended to Love Street after 1891 by Thomas Graham Abercrombie. Imposing classical U-plan court house consisting of 1885 2-storey, 7-bay, L-plan symmetrical building to left with linking bay to 1890 2-storey, 7-bay asymmetrical, L-plan former County building with prominent Ionic pedimented portico to right. The 3-storey extension to the north is not considered to be special in listing terms at time of review. Situated on prominent corner site with 3-storey, 11-bay return elevation Love Street. Ashlar, channelled at ground. Base course, cill courses, cornice and parapet with urns to left.

1885 building to left has advanced end bays with linking balustraded Doric colonnade with steps leading to advanced central porch with mutuled frieze. Central key-stoned round-arched doorway. Windows within the colonnade have architraves rising from the floor and recessed panelled aprons and there are lugged architraves, carved friezes and consoled cornices to the centre windows above. Windows to the end bays are tripartite with square colonettes between. The upper storey windows have decorated friezes, consoled cornices and flanking paired Ionic pilasters. Single archway to far left.

The 1890 building to the right has a prominent advanced 3-bay portico to off-centre right with Ionic columns rising from first floor to pediment with sculpted frieze behind by F W Pomeroy depicting Greek mythological figures. Advanced Doric-columned porch to left. Architraves to first storey windows.

Predominantly plate-glass in timber sash and case windows. Grey slates.

The interior was seen in 2014. The long rectangular entrance hall contains Doric columns supporting a surrounding balcony with decorative metal railings. The court house was refurbished in 1998 and the main staircase and part of this entrance hall balcony dates from this period. Courtroom 1 to the rear is the original 1885 court and has clerestorey windows and an imposing pedimented timber bench with elaborately carved consoles to sounding board. The courtroom retains its late 19th century raked public timber pew seating and some former timber jury pews. There is a coffered ceiling and cornice. Steps lead directly to the cells from the dock. Courtroom 8 is the former council chambers and there is extensive, elaborate oak panelling to the walls and semi-barrel-vaulted ceiling with paired pedestalled Ionic columns at either end, flanking a stone fire place and the former entrance door. Sculpted figurative panels around room, depicting mythological figures working in local trades. Other rooms and halls with decorative cornicing, panelled timber doors, and carved fire surrounds. Open-well staircase with carved timber banister.

There is a low boundary wall with iron railings to the south elevation with a pair of octagonal gatepiers at the entrance.