Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/35/006

Address :
The Court-House Crumlin Road Belfast BT14 6AL

Townland:
None

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
04/02/1988 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Court House

Former Use
Court House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130/9 SW

IG Ref:
J3297 7529

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

A large 2-storey stuccoed building in a Classical style with an extensive symmetrical entrance front incorporating a hexastyle Corinthian portico. Main entrance faces north. North elevation 2-storey, symmetrical, with ten bays to each side of a central projecting portico; second and third bays to each side of portico are set back slightly from first and fourth bays, all one window wide each on each floor, while end bays to each side project forward and are wider, containing tripartite windows to each floor; bays divided by giant rusticated pilasters with plain capitals except for those of end bays which have smooth shafts with Corinthian capitals. Walls finished in stucco, painted, rusticated to ground floor between pilasters, but smooth rendered and lined, to first floor; deep moulded stringcourse, panelled to regular bays in line with window openings, but blind-balustraded to wider end bays, also in line with window openings; moulded projecting plinth; moulded entablature with dentil frieze and projecting moulded modillion cornice, with plain blocking course; some dentils missing to each wing, and considerable damage to cornice of west wing. Roofs of wings hidden behind parapets. Two cast iron downpipes, one to each wing, at second bay from portico; gutters hidden behind parapet. Windows of regular bays to first floor are rectangular timber, vertically hung, sliding sash, 1 over 1, with horns, set in elaborated raised and moulded surrounds with bracketed segmental pediments; windows to ground floor are segmental headed timber, sashed as to first floor, and set in segmental arched openings with moulded recessed surrounds and rusticated keystones. Windows in end bays have similar sashes, arranged in triplets with narrow outer lights; those in first floor set in a Venetian window surround incorporating two central Corinthian pilasters. In front of west wing, projecting from plinth, is a raised manhole with a moulded stucco surround. Central portico projects forward by two columns to each side, with rear wall recessed slightly behind wings; unfluted columns with Corinthian capitals; outer acanthus scrolls to front of columns of portico all broken off or damaged. Entablature and cornice around front and sides of portico similar to and continuous with that of wings; triangular pediment containing well modelled Royal Arms in high relief, and apex surmounted by a sculpted female figure representing 'Justice', with the scales now missing. Portico approached on three sides by a flight of eight concrete steps; modern ramped access to eastern side, bounded by cast iron railings; two sets of cast iron hand rails to front flight, now damaged, and one set to western flight. Floor surface of portico is concrete flagged with two original sandstone flags remaining between the columns on the west side; ceiling is plain plastered. Rear wall of portico is 2-storey of eight bays, divided by giant pilasters with smooth shafts and Corinthian capitals. The three central bays to the ground floor have recessed rectangular openings set in semi-circular arches; moulded extrados with a sculpted head to the keystone of each; panelled soffits and tympana; piers rusticated. The two outer bays on the ground floor are rusticated and each contains a segmental arched window, sashed and detailed as previous to ground floor of wings, with a deep stringcourse above returning from the wings. First floor smooth rendered, with a semi-circular arched window in each bay: windows timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 1 over 1, with horns; continuous moulded arched surrounds with plain keystone; cill in form of a moulded string course above a frieze, all set between pilasters; frieze ornamented with running acanthus scrolls and floral paterae. The three openings lead into an open three-bay vestibule with a plastered ceiling in three compartments; floor continuous with main portico area; side walls plain plastered and painted, with Post Office letterbox set in east wall. Rear wall of vestibule three-bay, single-storey, with three recessed rectangular doorways surmounted by blind rectangular panels, and set in plain pilastered and rusticated piers; three sets of timber double doors; central set, each leaf 3-panel with top two glazed; flanking doors are sheeted over below glazed panels. East elevation, of two storeys in recessed stages, comprises the east end of the front block or east wing, one bay wide, to the right, with the east side of the main central block of the building, seven windows wide, set back to the left, with a single-storey block projecting from it in the angle with the east wing; to the extreme left is a rear return block set well back from the main central block. End of east wing is of similar style and detailing to the end bays of the north elevation, with a tripartite window to the ground floor but a single window to the first floor, in the form of the central light of the Venetian windows of the north front. Main central block, recessed behind, is 2-storey, in Classical style. Wall finished in stucco, rusticated to ground floor, and smooth rendered and lined to first floor; entablature, cornice and blocking course continuous from east wing and front elevation. Projecting moulded plinth and deep moulded stringcourse relieved by rectangular panels in line with windows. Two cast iron downpipes. End bay to left projects slightly and marked by giant corner pilasters with smooth shafts and Corinthian capitals. Windows of first floor in main recessed wall of central or main block are arranged in a group of five with one alone to the right of that; all rectangular timber, vertically hung, sliding sash, 6 over 6, without horns, set in raised rectangular surrounds surmounted by a frieze panel and cornice; window next to the projecting end bay is a dummy window. Ground floor window below dummy window is a very small rectangular unmoulded opening cut into the rustications; timber 2-pane fixed light with top-hung vent. First floor window of projecting end bay is rectangular, sashed as previous first floor windows but surmounted by a bracketed cornice; ground floor window below it is a segmental headed, timber sliding sash, 3 over 3, without horns, set in a segmental arch with rusticated and elongated voussoirs; recessed and moulded reveals. Single storey projecting block has three single windows and a triplet, all segmental arched, sashed 1 over 1, with horns, and detailed as on north elevation; wall rusticated, with frieze continuous with stringcourse of east wing, surmounted by a stone balustraded parapet; three small basement windows cut into plinth, original, in line with windows above; one PVC downpipe; modern square section flue. South end wall of single storey block has one window; two PVC downpipes; basement light-well behind enclosing plinth walls, now covered over with steel mesh grilles. South or rear wall of east wing is blank; blocking course surmounted by a smooth rendered chimney with shaped haunches at the base; five red pots. South or rear wall of main central block, to east side of rear return, is of 2-storey height and two-bay width, with the end bay to right projecting slightly, and marked by giant corner pilasters, it being the return face of the projecting end bay of the main east elevation. One window in each floor of projecting end bay, as previous, but one in first floor is without brackets to cornice, and one in ground floor is a 6-paned timber fixed light. Recessed bay to left has similar walling as to east elevation but without the architrave to the entablature; first floor and ground floor windows as previous to main central block, with addition of two small rectangular openings to each side of ground floor window; opening to left blind; opening to right is sashed 1 over 1, without horns. One cast iron downpipe. East elevation of rear return block is 2-storey, four windows wide, the two to left in a slightly projecting bay with rusticated quoins to its extremities; walling otherwise is as previous, without architrave to entablature; one PVC downpipe First floor windows rectangular timber sliding sash, 6 over 6, without horns, set in raised and moulded surrounds surmounted by a frieze panel and cornice; three ground floor windows, segmental arched and sashed, 3 over 3, as previous to east elevation. Second opening from right is a segmental arched doorway, the east entrance, detailed as the segmental arched windows; segmental headed double doors, of timber, modern replacements, each leaf 3-panel with glazed top panel. Doorway approached by seven concrete steps, with rendered and moulded plinth walls arched over basement well; square end piers surmounted by ornate cast iron lamp standards now missing lamps. Basement well across entire east face of return block has original cast iron railings on low rendered and moulded plinth walls; small gateway to left of piers leads down narrow original stone steps to basement, with plain iron balustrading. Basement well area is stone flagged; retaining wall to outside is of rubble stone, roughly rendered; basement walls of building are smooth rendered. Area overlooked by three basement windows in east wall, rectangular timber, one sashed, 3 over 3, without horns, the other two altered; modern rectangular timber door opens out to area below vaulting of steps to east entrance. In end wall to north is an original rectangular timber ledged door with louvres; beside it stands a small iron safe inscribed 'Milners Patent Fire Resisting'. Basement well is stone flagged. Plinth and railings terminates at left-hand extremity in a short square pier. Basement well later closed over by steel mesh grilles. South elevation of rear return block is two storeys high and five windows wide; walling as previous to rear return, with rusticated quoins to extremities; two cast iron downpipes and one PVC downpipe; two chimneys on the blocking course, symmetrically disposed, smooth cement rendered with shaped haunches to base; plain modern pots. First floor windows are as previous to rear return; ground floor windows are semi-circular headed, timber sliding sash, 6 over 6, without horns, set in semi-circular arched openings with moulded reveals recessed in rusticated surrounds; moulded keystone; recessed rectangular-panelled apron. Open basement well across face of south elevation, continuing round from east side; bounded by original cast iron railings on low plinth, curved at each end, abutting square pier to right-hand extremity and returning into main face of wall at left-hand extremity just short of end of wall. Basement well area stone flagged; bounding walls as previous; overlooked by five windows, including one original timber sashed window, 3 over 3, without horns, the others altered; two doorways, one a modern rectangular flush timber door, the other a rectangular timber door, original, from which five steps lead down to a segmental arched opening in the retaining wall opposite leading into a tunnel to the street to the south; tunnel stone walled and brick vaulted; iron barred gate near south end of tunnel with doorway beyond leading onto pavement. Well closed over by later steel mesh grilles. At the west end is a low semi-circular arched opening leading through a narrow vaulted passage around the south-west corner of the rear return and on into a basement well on the west side. West elevation of rear return block is similar to its east elevation except that the two ground floor windows to right, in the projecting end bay, are tall and semi-circular arched as previous to south elevation. West entrance doorway similar in character to east except doors are rectangular, 3-panel to each leaf, with segmental headed 2-pane fanlight; approached by four steps. Basement well across face, with similar cast iron railings on moulded plinth wall; similar cast iron lamp standards to piers. Basement well stone flagged; bounding walls as previous; overlooked by two rectangular timber windows, sliding sashed, 3 over 3, without horns. Well at south end has a low semi-circular arched opening from narrow vaulted passage around south-west corner of rear return. South or rear elevation of main central block to west side of rear return is similar to corresponding elevation to east side except for an additional small rectangular window to first floor of recessed wall, 2-pane fixed light with top-hung vent, and a small later flight of steps attached. West elevation of building overall is similar in style and parts to east elevation except the single storey projecting block is smaller than on east, being only three windows wide, the two to the right being in a recessed plane; three small rectangular basement windows cut into plinth, original, in line with windows above; two cast iron downpipes. In front of the west end wall of the west wing, projecting from the plinth, is a raised manhole with moulded stucco surround. South end wall of single storey block has one small rectangular window in ground floor, timber fixed light with top-hung vent; one cast iron downpipe and one PVC downpipe; open basement well bounded by a low plinth wall; smooth rendered basement with rectangular bottom-hung windows overlooking well. South or rear elevation of west wing is a blank wall as previous to east wing but without a chimney. BOUNDARY RAILINGS, GATES, PIERS AND WALLS Surrounding the grounds on the north, east, and west boundaries, and part of the south boundary are original iron railings with spear shaped heads mounted on low plinth walls of snecked basalt with sandstone copings; scrolling ornamented cast iron stays at intervals to the rear face, marked by taller spike-headed posts; one stay missing on north boundary. Four large gateways to north or front boundary: original iron double gates, of similar style to railings, with later iron plating fixed to exterior face; piers formed by a cluster of iron posts of Roman fasces design, with axe-head finials; axe-head finial to centre of each gate; piers to the two inner gateways have taller lamp standards, now missing lamps. One small pedestrian gate, original, set into the third section of the north boundary railings from the eastern extremity, and a similar original gate is situated immediately to the east of the third large gateway from the east. One modern steel-barred pedestrian gate is cut into the east boundary railings and a similar modern gate appears on the west boundary. At the north-west and north-east corners are square stone boundary piers of rusticated and vermiculated sandstone with a weathered cap; similar pier to south-east corner but without vermiculation. At the south-west corner the railings and plinth wall of the west boundary curve round to form the south boundary for a portion of its extent before the railings abut a square basalt pier where the rear boundary becomes a tall retaining wall of roughly coursed basalt rubble surmounted by a plain sandstone coping; segmental arched doorway in retaining wall containing a pair of iron plated doors set in a rectangular sandstone surround. To the east is another short square end pier where the wall drops in height, and continues, with rough-hewn basalt copings, to the eastern extremity where it abuts the south-east pier with a curved return. SETTING The building stands on the south side of the main road, within the built-up area of the city, and directly faces the prison on the opposite side of the road with their main entrances axially aligned, and their front boundary railings identical in design; the Court-House and prison are also connected physically by an underground passage. The building stands surrounded by tarmac immediately around its perimeter within the boundary railings, with a sloping grassed area to the east; later modern concrete steps down grass slope. It stands on an island site with clear views all around unobstructed except for later modern metal security screens.

Architects

Young & Mackenzie Lanyon, Charles

Historical Information

Built in 1848-50; architect, Charles Lanyon; builder, James Carlisle; clerk of works, W.H. Lynn; figure of Justice on apex of portico sculpted by William Boyton Kirk A.R.H.A., of Dublin; building enlarged in 1905-06 to designs of Young and Mackenzie, architects, with McLaughlin and Harvey, builders. First designs were produced in 1847 but revised as too costly to proceed. Built due to the transfer of assize business from Carrickfergus to Belfast and the proclamation of Belfast as the county town; called the County Antrim Court House and formally opened at the Summer Assizes in 1850; closed as a court-house in June 1998. EXTENT OF LANYON'S ORIGINAL BUILDING OF 1850: portico and steps; the Main Hall, with the Record Court to east and the Crown Court to west, and all of the building to the south of those three main spaces, except the single storey wings to the side of the Record Court and Crown Court, and the minor insertion of toilet facilities in the open areas or light wells. Lanyon's original building also includes the tunnel from the dock in the Crown Court, passing underneath the main road to link with the prison opposite, and the tunnel from the rear basement area to the street to the south. The boundary railings and piers were also part of the original building, erected in 1850, when similar railings and piers were also erected in front of the prison. EXTENT OF YOUNG AND MACKENZIE'S REMODELLING OF 1905-06: front face of building to each side of portico brought forward to create front offices, two-thirds of the depth of Lanyon's original portico, and extended at each extremity beyond the line of the Record and Crown courts to form wings, with single-storey blocks returning to the rear of the wings to flank the courts on the east and west sides; insertion of a pair of staircases, one in each wing to each side of the Main Hall at the front of the building with new arched windows on a raking line to each staircase; replacement of Lanyon's twin staircases to rear of portico by the present Postal Office and Switch room to each side of the triple-arched open entrance vestibule; removal of Lanyon's raking first floor gallery to the front of the Main Hall and replacement by a transverse first floor corridor with four rooms overlooking the covered area within the portico; insertion of five new first floor windows for these new rooms in the rear wall of the portico immediately above the triple arched entrance. SUMMARY OF THE BUILDING AS IT STANDS NOW: the front façade of the building is by Young and Mackenzie, 1905-06, except for the portico which is by Lanyon, 1850, apart from the windows in the rear wall of the portico which were all inserted by Young and Mackenzie. The entire mid-portion or main block from the east wall of the Record Court to the west wall of the Crown Court, together with the broad central rear return, is all by Lanyon and is largely intact, containing a number of important original interior spaces, including the Main Hall, the Record Court, the Crown Court, the central arcaded corridor, and the western back stairhall; the former Sheriff's Room and former Grand Jury Room in the ground floor of the rear return; and the arcaded landings and the former Grand Jury Dining Room on the first floor of the rear return. The two-storey elevations to the south of the long front block or wings are thus essentially all by Lanyon, except for the first bay at the north end on each side; the projecting single-storey blocks are by Young and Mackenzie. References – Primary Sources 1. PRONI LA/1/8JA/107/1-6 (drawings for the courthouse including internal and external doors as executed). 2. PRONI LA/1/8J/113 (drawing of 'Railing and Gates for front Boundary of Court House Ground', 1850). 3. PRONI LA/1/8JA/118/1-15 (contract drawings for the courthouse, 1847, but not executed). 4. PRONI LA/1/8JA/119/1-14 (original designs for the courthouse; not accepted). 5. PRONI D/2194/99/1 (Schedule of Quantities of additions and alterations to the County Courthouse, Belfast, July 1905 – stated that the building to be completed on or before the 1st July 1906). 6. Original drawing showing section through portico and central hall, c 1848, in Property Development section, Belfast, City Council. 7. Original drawing showing plan of first floor (revised in execution) 1848, in Property Development section, Belfast City Council. 8. Original drawing showing sketch proposal for new front (not executed), by J.C.M. Browne, architect, 1904, in Property Services Section, Belfast City Council. 9. OS Map 1858, Co Antrim 61. 10. OS Map 1858, Belfast, Sheets 22 and 21 (scale: 5 feet to 1 mile). 11. OS Map 1872, Belfast, Sheet 22 (scale: 5 feet to 1 mile). 12. Watercolour in Local History Collection, Ulster Museum, (County Antrim Courthouse, Crumlin Road, Belfast: catalogue no. 6. 1956 – attributed to W.H. Lynn; depicts the building in its original state). 13. Ministry of Finance file no. 'Fin 19, Belfast 55', in MBR, Hill Street, Belfast (survey plans dated 1952). 14. Photograph in Local History Collection, Ulster Museum (neg. no. 10/69/55). 15. Photograph in McCutcheon Collection, MBR, Hill Street, Belfast (view of railings along west boundary). 16. Belfast News-Letter, 19 July 1850 (article entitled 'The New County Antrim Court-House'). 17. The Builder, Vol X, 1852, p 495. 18. Belfast and Ulster Directory 1852, p 44. 19. J.B. Doyle, Tours in Ulster (Dublin, 1854), pp 27-28. 20. Marcus Ward, Views in Belfast and the North of Ireland (Belfast, n.d. [c. 1860]) – includes a view of the Court House in its original state. 21. Belfast Directory 1861, pp 435-6. 22. W. McComb, McComb's Guide to Belfast (Belfast, 1861), p 35. 23. R.M. Young, Belfast and the Province of Ulster (Brighton, 1909), p 127 (photograph of the building as enlarged in 1905). Secondary Sources – 1. W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (Dublin, 1913), Vol I, p 593 (credits W.B. Kirk as the sculptor of the figure of 'Justice'). 2. Northern Whig and Belfast Post, 23 April 1928 (reference within article entitled 'The New Law Courts'). 3. C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of Belfast 1700-1914 (London, 1967), pp 24, 26, and plate 24. 4. C.E.B. Brett, Court Houses and Market Houses of the province of Ulster (Belfast, 1973), pp 47, 49-50. 5. P. Larmour, Belfast: An Illustrated Architectural Guide (Belfast, 1987), p 16 (includes an engraved view published by Marcus Ward). 6. P. Larmour, 'Lanyon', Belfast Telegraph, 30 December 1989, p 7 (includes a photograph of the Court-House in its original state).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form E. Spatial Organisation F. Structural System I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

This is an early Victorian building of considerable architectural interest, designed in a Classical style by one of the leading Irish architects of the time, and then later enlarged in a similar style by another important local architectural firm. The later enlargement has added to the complexity and interest of the original building in terms of plan form and spatial organisation while the most important original interior spaces and ornamental elements have remained intact, despite some recent alterations. The building stands as one of the grandest examples of its type in Northern Ireland, and together with the prison opposite, forms part of a very important architectural group.

General Comments

Extent of Listing: Court-house, including steps to portico; piers, plinth walls and steps to east and west entrances; plinth walls and railings to basement areas around rear return block; and boundary piers, gates and railings and walls.

Date of Survey

02 June 1999