Report - Sheffield Courts - December 2012

[jazzywheelz]

Sheffield Courts - December 2012

Visited with Fudgeyboy

Sheffield Old Town Hall stands on Waingate in central Sheffield, England, opposite Castle Market.

The Old Town Hall was built in 1807–8 by Charles Watson, and was designed to house not only the Town Trustees but also the Petty and Quarter Sessions. The initial building was a five-bay structure fronting Castle Street, but it was extended in 1833 and again in 1866 by William Flockton (1804-1864) of Sheffield and his partner for the project, Abbott; the most prominent feature was the new central clock tower over a new main entrance that reoriented the building to Waingate. At the same time, the building's courtrooms were linked by underground passages to the neighbouring Sheffield Police Offices.

The first Town Council was elected in 1843 and took over the lease of the Town Trustees' hall in 1866. The following year, the building was extensively renovated, with a clock tower designed by Flockton & Abbott being added.

By the 1890s, the building had again become too small, and the current Sheffield Town Hall was built further south. The Old Town Hall was again extended in 1896-7, by the renamed Flockton, Gibbs & Flockton, and became Sheffield Crown Court and Sheffield High Court. In the 1990s, these courts moved to new premises, and since at least 1997 to present, the building remains disused.

In 2007, it was named by the Victorian Society as one of their top ten buildings most at-risk.

It's been a few months now since my first visit to Sheffield Courts. Myself and *********** popped in very late one night after a visit to Hallam Towers. Darkness and tiredness meant I came away with some very disappointing shots. Now fast-forward a few months and I thought it was about time I went back for a proper effort.

After a half-hour delay due to Fudgington sleeping through his alarm, we met at too-fucking-early-o'clock on the outskirts of Sheffield. Under cover of darkness, our morning started with an ascent of Hallam Towers to get us in the mood. No picturings of this from me as I was still half asleep and suffering from the climb Maybe Fudgey might be so kind as to post some of his shots.

An hour or so later and still dark, we're in the city centre and entering the courthouse. Heading straight for the clocktower, we watch as the streets below start to come to life. Office workers are making their way to their dreary little jobs and shop workers are opening the window shutters in readiness for the hoardes of last minute christmas shoppers.

After a cheeky little pigeon delivered an early christmas present to Fudge, we decided to retreat indoors and take photographs of some stairs...

...windows...

...and fireplaces.

Holding cells...

...and of course the courtrooms.

Guilty as charged

After a comedy exit on to the rainy streets of Sheffield, our plans for further derps were shelved in favour of food and sleep.
Cheers for the company Fudge and for the use of your Samyang

Ta very much
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