Justiciary Building, Edinburgh

The first criminal justice building in Edinburgh was the old tolbooth which was located in the Old Town and was completed in about 1400.{{cite web | url = http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=58457 | title = Extracts from the Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh, 1403-1528 | publisher=British History Online|access-date = 26 December 2022}}{{cite web|url= https://parliamentsquareedinburgh.net/the-old-and-new-tolbooths/ |title= The Tolbooths, Guard House and Weigh House|publisher= Parliament Square, Edinburgh|access-date=26 December 2022}}{{canmore|num=52447|desc=Edinburgh, High Street, Tolbooth| access-date=26 December 2022}} After the tolbooth became inadequate, sheriff court hearings were transferred to the old county hall which had been built to a design by Archibald Elliot on the corner of the Lawnmarket and George IV Bridge in 1816.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZYAOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA717 |title=The Statistical Account of Edinburghshire|author= Society for the Benefit of the Sons and Daughters of the Clergy|year=1845|page=717|publisher= William Blackwood}}{{efn|Lothian Chambers now occupies this site.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num= LB27674|desc= Midlothian County Buildings, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh|access-date=3 July 2022}}}}

The first dedicated Sheriff Court Building was established further to the southeast along George IV Bridge: it was designed by David Bryce in the Renaissance Revival style, built in ashlar stone and was completed in 1868.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=101118|title=Sheriff Court|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects|access-date=26 December 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BJk0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA552|title=New Sheriff Court, Edinburgh|newspaper=Illustrated London News|date=1 June 1867|page=552|volume=50}} Bryce's building was demolished to make way for the National Library of Scotland in 1937.{{canmore|desc= Edinburgh, George IV Bridge, Sheriff Court House|num= 112520 | access-date=26 December 2022}}

The current building was commissioned as a new Sheriff Court Building to replace Bryce's building on George IV Bridge. It was designed by Albert Pitcher and John Wilson Paterson of HM Office of Works in the Neo-Georgian style, built in ashlar stone and was completed in 1937. The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with seven bays facing onto the Lawnmarket. The central section of three bays, which was projected forward, featured an entrance with a large keystone on the ground floor, a recessed round headed window on the first floor and a blind panel on the second floor. The other bays were fenestrated by square sash windows on the ground floor, tall sash windows on the first floor and square sash windows on the second floor. The first floor windows in the central section were flanked by huge Doric order pilasters supporting an frieze with triglyphs and guttae as well as a pediment containing a carved figure of justice. Internally, the principal rooms were a large marble-lined entrance hall and a series of courtrooms.

After the Sheriff Court moved to the new courthouse in Chambers Street in September 1994,{{cite web|url= https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/edinburgh-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court |title= Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court|publisher=Scottish Courts and Tribunals| access-date=26 December 2022}} the building was extensively remodelled to a design by David le Sueur to accommodate the High Court of Justiciary, which is the supreme criminal court in Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/supreme-courts/high-court/about-the-high-court |title=About the High Court| publisher=Scottish Courts and Tribunals| access-date=26 December 2022}}{{cite web|url= https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst18116.html |title= High Court of Justiciary|publisher= Gazetteer for Scotland| access-date=26 December 2022}} A wall hanging designed by Alice Kettle was installed at the top of the staircase,{{cite web|url=https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/places/edinburgh/high-court-of-justiciary/ |title=High Court of the Justiciary|publisher=Door Open Days| access-date=26 December 2022}} and a statue to commemorate the life of the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher, David Hume, was carved by Alexander Stoddart and unveiled outside the building by the Principal of the University of Edinburgh, Sir Stewart Sutherland, on 21 November 1997.{{cite web|url= https://www.college.columbia.edu/core/content/statue-david-hume-royal-mile-edinburgh-edinburgh-born-artist-alexander-stoddart-unveiled-199|title= Statue of David Hume, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, by Edinburgh-born artist, Alexander Stoddart, unveiled in 1995|publisher=Columbia College| access-date=26 December 2022}}{{canmore|desc=Edinburgh, Lawnmarket, David Hume Statue|num=179670| access-date=26 December 2022}}

• List of listed buildings in Edinburgh/29

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{{High Court of Justiciary}}

Category:Government buildings completed in 1937

Category:Category B listed buildings in Edinburgh

Category:Court buildings in Scotland

Category:High Court of Justiciary

Category:Royal Mile