Sessions House, Preston
{{Short description|Courthouse in Lancashire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Sessions House
| native_name =
| native_language =
| image = Session House Preston.jpg
| caption =
| locmapin = United Kingdom Preston central
| map_caption =Location within Preston City centre
| coordinates = {{coord|53.7596|N|2.6987|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| gbgridref=SD 540 294
| location =Preston
| built =1904
| architect =Henry Littler
| architecture =Edwardian Baroque
| governing_body =His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
| designation1 =Grade II* Listed Building
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date = 27 September 1979
| designation1_number = 1279796
}}
The Sessions House is a courthouse in Harris Street, Preston, Lancashire, England. The courthouse, which continues to be used for judicial purposes as well as being used as administrative offices for His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, is a Grade II* listed building.{{NHLE|desc=Sessions House|num=1279796|accessdate= 27 April 2011|mode=cs2}}
History
File:Sessions_House_detail.jpg
The building was commissioned to replace the old Sessions House in Stanley Street which had been built in 1829.{{NHLE|desc=The old Sessions House|num=1219103|accessdate=21 October 2020}} After deciding that the old Sessions House was inadequate for their needs, the justices decided to procure a new building: the site selected was some open land opposite the Harris Museum.{{cite web|url=https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/353948/429514/13/100888|title=Ordnance Survey Map|year=1892|accessdate=21 October 2020}}
The foundation stone for the new building was laid by Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, in a ceremony presided over by Sir J. T. Hibbert, on 2 February 1900.{{Cite news |date=3 February 1900 |title=The New Sessions House At Preston |page=10 |work= Manchester Guardian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/257840946/ |url-access=subscription |via=newspapers.com}} {{cite web|url=https://prestonhistory.com/sources-2/preston-guardian-digest-1891-1905/|title=Preston Guardian Digest 1891-1905|date=26 January 2018 |publisher=Preston History|accessdate=21 October 2020}} It was designed by the Manchester architect, Henry Littler, in the Edwardian Baroque style, constructed by David Tullis and Sons and opened on 18 June 1904. The cost of the building was estimated at the start of its construction to be £90,000, the equivalent of more than £9m in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Bank of England Inflation Calculator |url=https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator |access-date=18 September 2023 |website=Bank of England Inflation Calculator}} The masonry is Longridge stone throughout.
The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of thirteen bays facing Harris Street. The central section featured a round-headed doorway with a balcony above; there was a round-headed window with elaborate detailing on the first floor and oculus on the second floor flanked by huge Ionic order columns which spanned the second and third floors. There was a four-stage tower above, which at {{convert|54.7|m|ft|1}} high, made the building one of the tallest buildings in Preston.{{cite web|url=http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=910|title=Sessions House|publisher=Skyscraper News|accessdate=21 October 2020|archive-date=12 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212083447/http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=910|url-status=dead}}
Cases heard within the sessions house have included the trials and subsequent convictions of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson for the murder of James Bulger in November 1993{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6012116.open-doors-sessions-house/|title=Open doors at Sessions House|date=30 August 2001|publisher=Lancashire Telegraph|access-date=18 January 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/oct/06/shipman.health|title=Trial of GP charged with murder of 15 patients adjourned|date=6 October 1999|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=18 January 2022}} and of Harold Shipman for the murder of 15 patients under his care in January 2000.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/jan/31/shipman.health|title=Inside Preston crown court|date=31 January 2000|work=The Guardian|access-date=18 January 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/719671/Shipman-courthouse-to-open-doors-for-a-day.html|title=Shipman courthouse to open doors for a day|date=1 September 2001|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=18 January 2022}}
Internally, there are two courtrooms on the first floor that are used daily by Preston Crown Court together with two smaller courtrooms on the ground floor used by the County Court and the Family Court.{{cite web |title= Preston Crown Court (Sessions House) |url= http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/HMCSCourtFinder/Search.do?court_id=1441 |work=Court Finder |publisher=Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service |date= 27 April 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110204011748/http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/HMCSCourtFinder/Search.do?court_id=1441|accessdate= 27 April 2011 |archive-date = 2011-02-04|ref= HMCTS}} The Courts Service Area Director's office for Lancashire and Cumbria is also situated in the building.{{cite web |title= Regional information – North West Region |url= http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/complaints/directors_region/directors_northwest.htm |publisher=Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service |date= 1 April 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100406044001/http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/complaints/directors_region/directors_northwest.htm |accessdate= 27 April 2011 |archive-date= 2010-04-06 |ref= HMCTSAD}}
See also
Notes
{{reflist}}
{{City of Preston buildings}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sessions House, Preston}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Preston
Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
Category:Crown Court buildings
Category:Edwardian architecture in the United Kingdom
Category:Government buildings completed in 1904
Category:Grade II* listed government buildings