Listed Building: THE COUNTY COURT (101929)

SZ 0991 STAFFORD ROAD (East Side) The County Court 20/182 II County Court. 1908-14 by F W Lacey (Borough Surveyor) and H A Collins. Red brick in Flemish bond and Portland stone ashlar; graduated slate roof. 2 Storeys, 11 bays. In Edwardian Baroque style. Symmetrical facade, bays 2 and 10 breaking forward and of ashlar, bays 1 and 11 recessed and with lower cornices. Ashlar dressings include: plinth, the lower portion rock-faced; chanelled angle pilasters; portal; architraves; eaves band to bays 1 and 11 (returned); and cornice. 7-bay centrepiece has: steps up to projecting portal with double-door flanked by narrow windows and with foundation stone to right dated 1912 and bearing legend "FIAT JUSTITIA"; Ionic pilasters support full entablature with royal coat-of-arms in broken semi-circular pediment; flag-pole; 12-pane sashes in architraves with cornices and keystones. Flanking bays each have a full-height recessed archway in which are set the windows, those on ground floor pedimented. Outer bays are blind on ground floor with tripled sashes at eaves and are under separate hipped roofs. Main roof is hipped with central Ionic copper cupola and corniced ashlar stacks flanking cupola and at ends, all in front roof pitch. Interior: entrance hall has terazzo floor, attached pilasters, dentilled cornice to compartmented ceiling, and stained glass to windows. From it rises imperial stone stair with moulded wooden hand rail and decorative panels to iron balustrade; large Venetian-style stair window has Ionic pilasters and swags over central window; at head of stairs, Venetian-style archway and royal coat-of-arms to balustrade. Linked mid C20 extension to south not of special interest. Listing NGR: SZ0938591536

Record last edited

Nov 1 2006 4:40PM