Lisburn Courthouse

Lisburn Courthouse
Lisburn Courthouse
Lisburn Courthouse Location within Northern Ireland
General information
Architectural style	Brutalist style
Address	Lisburn, County Antrim
Country	Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°30′50″N6°02′39″W / 54.5138°N 6.0443°W / 54.5138; -6.0443 Coordinates: 54°30′50″N6°02′39″W / 54.5138°N 6.0443°W / 54.5138; -6.0443
Completed	1980
Website
www.courtsni.gov.uk

Lisburn Courthouse is a judicial facility in Railway Street in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is home to the magistrate's and county courts. ^[1]

History

The Old Courthouse in Lisburn, as built in 1884 by Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet. Demolished 1971

In the late 19th century and in much of the 20th century judicial matters were considered in the old courthouse which had been designed by John MacHenry and completed in 1884. ^[2] It was built at the personal expense of the local landowner and Member of Parliament for Lisburn Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet, of Antrim Castle, and demonstrated his significant financial and political commitment made to the town. ^[3] The design was based on a largely un-executed design by Andrea Palladio for the Villa Ragona Cecchetto, in Ghizzole, Montegaldella, Veneto, Italy, for his client Girolamo Ragona, a deputy of the nearby City of Vicenza. ^[4] It involved a symmetrical main frontage which featured a tetrastyle portico with Corinthian order columns supporting a frieze and a heavily carved pediment, on which was sculpted the Wallace coat of arms and his motto "Esperance" (English: "hope"). ^[3]

However, after it was not adequately maintained, its condition deteriorated and it was, ultimately, demolished in 1971. ^[5] The demolition took place in the face of strong local opposition from local heritage groups and the author, Charles Brett, said shortly after the demolition that "the building was by no means beyond restoration when it was demolished." ^{[6] [7]}

It was replaced by a modern facility on the same site which was designed in the Brutalist style and was completed in around 1980. ^[8] The design involved a central section which featured a glass entrance on the ground floor and a row of glazing on the first floor with black panels above and below; the left and right sections were left as bare concrete: it has been described by one of the local councillors as "one of the city's ugliest buildings". ^[9]

In May 2012 the justice minister, David Ford, said that he accepted an inspection report recommending that the Lisburn Courthouse should close in a proposed rationalisation of the court system. ^{[10] [11]}

Cases

Lisburn was initially used by magistrates before it was opened to county legal matters. Two sessions were regularly held each day by twelve staff in 2005. ^[12]

References

1. "Lisburn Court Office". NI Court Service. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
2. "MacHenry, John". Dictionary of Irish Architects. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
3. "Aspects of the legacy of Sir Richard Wallace in the fabric of Lisburn". Lisburn Historical Society. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
4. "Villa Ragona". Comune di Montegaldella. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
5. "1884 – Courthouse, Lisburn, Co. Antrim". Archiseek. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
6. Wilson, Lydia (2007). "Lose or Reuse: Managing Heritage Sustainably". Ulster Architectural Heritage Society. p. 6. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
7. Brett, Charles (1973). Court Houses and Market Houses of the Province of Ulster. Ulster Architectural Heritage Society. ISBN   978-0900457081.
8. "The Courthouse, Railway Street, Lisburn". Department for Communities. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
9. "One of city's 'ugliest buildings' could get facelift". Lisburn today. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
10. "Fears over future of Downpatrick courthouse". The Down Recorder. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
11. "Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service challenged by Estate Strategy". Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
12. "Lisburn Courthouse". Charter Mark Achievers 2005. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2009.