Hamilton Sheriff Court

The first judicial building in Hamilton, which contained a council chamber, a courthouse and a jail, was built adjoining the old tolbooth at the junction of Castle Street and Palace Grounds Road and was completed in 1798.{{cite web|url=https://historic-hamilton.co.uk/tag/the-old-town/|title=The Hamilton Tolbooth 1642-1954|date=2 January 2017 |publisher=Historic Hamilton|accessdate=24 September 2020}}{{efn|The old town house was demolished in 1954, when a scroll was found recording its date of construction.}} By the 1830s, the tolbooth complex was very dilapidated and it was decided that "soon all be removed, except the steeple, town clock, and bell."

The foundation stone for a new courthouse was laid on 10 June 1834. It was designed in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone and was completed later that year. The original design involved a symmetrical main frontage of seven bays facing onto Almada Street. The central section of the three bays featured a full height tetrastyle portico formed by Ionic order columns supporting a frieze, an entablature and a pediment. There were two-bay wings on either side fenestrated by sash windows. Internally, the principal rooms were the main courtroom, in the centre of the building on the ground floor, and a large hall on the first floor, which was established for county meetings.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WgNBAQAAMAAJ&pg=P274|title=New Statistical Account of Scotland |year=1845|publisher=Blackwood}}{{efn|Until 1890, Lanarkshire was divided into three administrative wards: lower (Glasgow), middle (Hamilton) and upper (Lanark) and this building was the meeting place for the middle ward.{{cite web|url= https://www.scottish-places.info/counties/countyfirst17.html |title=Old County of Lanarkshire|publisher= Gazetteer for Scotland| access-date=1 January 2023}} After the formation of Lanarkshire County Council in 1890, the county council also sometimes met in the Almada Street / Beckford Street building.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RqEuDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Hamilton+Sheriff+Court%22&pg=PA72 |title= The Spaces of Justice: The Architecture of the Scottish Court |first1= Peter |last1=Robson|first2= Johnny |last2=Rodger|year= 2017 |page=72|publisher= Fairleigh Dickinson University Press|isbn= 978-1683930891}}}} A jail building was also established to the north of the courthouse.{{cite web|url=https://www.prisonhistory.org/lockup/beckford-street-prison-hamilton/ |title=Beckford Street Prison, Hamilton|publisher=Prison History| access-date=1 January 2023}}

The courthouse was re-modelled to a design by John Lamb Murray in 1886. The works included single-bay extensions, which were slightly projected forward, at either end on the Almada Street frontage. The new bays were fenestrated by sash windows, with architraves and cornices; these windows were flanked by full-height Doric order pilasters supporting friezes, entablatures and cornices. The jail building was demolished, creating space for a long extension along Beckford Street, consisting of a nine-bay central section, which featured another full-height tetrastyle portico, short recessed connecting sections, and three bay wings, all designed by Murray.{{cite web|url= http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=202289 |title= County Hall and Sheriff Court Houses and County Police Office|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects| access-date=1 January 2023}}

The complex continued to serve as the local sheriff court throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century.{{cite web|url= https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/hamilton-sheriff-court |title= Hamilton Sheriff Court|publisher=Scottish Courts and Tribunals| access-date=1 January 2023}} However, a new building known as Birnie House in Caird Street, was acquired in 2006 to deal with civil and family cases, allowing the Almada Street / Beckford Street building to focus on criminal cases.{{cite web|url= https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/hamilton-sheriff-court-civil-building |title= Hamilton Sheriff Court Civil Building| publisher=Scottish Courts and Tribunals| access-date=1 January 2023}} It remains the third busiest courthouse in Scotland after Edinburgh and Glasgow.{{cite web|url= https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/places/south-lanarkshire/hamilton-sheriff-court/ |title= Hamilton Sheriff Court|publisher=Doors Open Days| access-date=1 January 2023}}

The court scenes for series 6 of the BBC sitcom Still Game were filmed in the courthouse in 2007.{{cite news|url=https://otakukart.com/where-is-still-game-filmed-all-about-filming-locations/|title=Where Is Still Game Filmed? All About Filming Locations|date=3 October 2021|newspaper=Otakukart|access-date=1 January 2023}}

• List of Category A listed buildings in South Lanarkshire
• List of listed buildings in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire

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Category:Government buildings completed in 1834

Category:Category A listed buildings in South Lanarkshire

Category:Court buildings in Scotland

Category:Buildings and structures in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire