History

Dated 1877 and by John Douglas, architect of Chester. Commissioned by John Bankes of the Soughton estate as a police station, court house and newsroom.

Interior

The entrance to the Old Courthouse leads into a stairhall, lined in red brick. To the L is a plain timber dog-leg staircase with moulded handrail, with cloakroom beneath. Straight ahead is the main chamber which is orientated N-S and has 2 timber cross-beams. The room is lined in yellow brick with glazed dado. Yellow brick relieving arches over windows, doorways and fireplace to centre of E wall. This is of moulded grey stone with a flat head. To the L is the former doorway into the police station, now blocked. Glazed chamfered brick mullions to interior of windows. Upstairs is a narrow corridor to the W with access into a 2nd chamber of equal size to that below and with similar detail. Canted ceiling with 2 collar trusses; smaller stone fireplace.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as an exceptional civic building of genuine rural character which displays the sensitivity of the architect John Douglas, in blending vernacular forms and materials.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29502625

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)