NHER 40817 (Building record) - Former court complex

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please contact us to consult the full record.

Summary

This complex was built in 1861 from buff brick and stucco and was designed by Charles Reeves. The complex consists of three large arched buildings. The wings have flat roofs. The single storey entrance projection has rusticated pilasters and a central entrance with royal arms above the main cornice. The complex was converted into housing in 2000.

Protected Status/Designation

Listed Building (II) 1342624: MAGISTRATES COURT COMPLEX

Location

Map sheet	TF60SW
Civil Parish	DOWNHAM MARKET, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Full Description

Former magistrates court complex.

November 1972. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
1861, Buff brick and stucco. Three large arched windows, with glazing bars, to main building, and with stucco archivolts and keys against eaves cornice. Hipped slate roof. Wings with flat roofs including one-storey entrance projection with rusticated pilasters and central entrance with sculptured royal arms above main cornice."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
According to (S2) the architect was Charles Reeves, replaced an earlier building in use in 1856.
Prevsner (S3) is wrong in saying the office block is later than the courtroom. Converted to housing in 2000.
E. Rose (NLA), 27 September 2004.

It appears that this building was in fact erected in 1851. The architectural drawings for the building are dated 1850, and newspaper article (S4) dating from 1851 reports that the construction of Downham's new County Court House was complete.
Information from (S5).
A. Cattermole (HES), 29 March 2011.

Associated Sources (8)

--- SNF98324 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1996. Courthouse plan is 'act of vandalism'. 12 March.
--- SNF80041 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. For sale: the home that brought order to the court. 6 January.
--- SNF82948 Photograph: 2000. Photographs of The Old Courthouse, Downham Market. Colour.
<S1> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1342624.
<S2> SNF54576 Monograph: Graham, C.. 2003. Ordering law: the architectural and social history of the English law court.. p 409.
<S3> SNF7576 Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 310.
<S4> SNF80227 Newspaper Article: Lynn Advertiser. 1851. 16 August.
<S5> SNF80228 Correspondence: Cansdale, R.. 2011. Letter from Ronald Cansdale (Downham Heritage Society) to Stephen Heywood (NCC).. March 2011.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (1)

MAGISTRATES COURT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Find out more...(1)

Downham Market (Parish Summary)

Record last edited

Jul 18 2022 9:32PM