Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Liverpool

The Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, in Derby Square, Liverpool, are operated by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. The building contains the city's Crown Court[1] which was previously housed in St George's Hall. It also houses Liverpool District Probate Registry[2] and the Liverpool Youth Court.[3]

Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts
Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts
General information
Town or cityLiverpool
Country England
Coordinates53.4041°N 2.9896°W / 53.4041; -2.9896
Completed1984
ClientHer Majesty's Courts Service

Architecture

Construction started in 1973[4] and was managed by the now-defunct Property Services Agency, who commissioned a design to express authority and power.[5] It was designed by Farmer and Dark and opened in 1984.[6]

The building contains 28 court rooms over 10 stories. The exterior is faced with vertically ribbed pre-cast concrete panels in dark,reddish tones.[7] The design features towers on the north and south sides. It was made to echo Liverpool Castle, which had stood on the same spot between the 13th and 18th century before being demolished. Pollard and Pevsner describe the architecture as "hulking" and "dispiriting", but "richly sculptural".[4][7]

The front facade of the building features a four metres wide version of the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. Cast in concrete, it was designed by British sculptor Richard Kindersley.[8] The interior contains strips of brown ceramic tiles in strips between the staircase tower windows.[7]

High-profile trials

References
  1. "Liverpool Crown Court". Her Majesty's Courts Service. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  2. "Liverpool District Probate Registry". Government of the United Kingdom. n.d. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. "Liverpool Youth Court". Government of the United Kingdom. n.d. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. Richard, Pollard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), The Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest, New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 108, ISBN 0300109105
  5. Jon, Wallsgrove (6 November 2019), The Architecture of Law Courts, London: Paragon Publishing, p. 21, ISBN 9781782227021
  6. "Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts – Liverpool". Modern Mooch. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  7. Richard, Pollard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), The Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest, New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 300, ISBN 0300109105
  8. "Liverpool Crown Court". Richard Kindersley. n.d. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  9. Nevin, Charles (23 October 2004). "Tickling shtick". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  10. Russell Jenkins (16 December 2008). "Sean Mercer to serve minimum of 22 years for murdering Rhys Jones". The Times. London. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  11. Sarah Chapman. "BARTON GUILTY OF WALKER MURDER". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  12. "Gooch Gang members will be sentence for bringing 'murder and mayhem' to Manchester". Daily Telegraph. 7 April 2009.
  13. "Gangsters guilty of wake murder". BBC News. 6 April 2009.


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