Building record MDR14111 - Former Court House and Police Station, Main Road, Eckington

Former Court House and Police Station, Main Road, Eckington, an early 20th century building. 'Renishaw Court House and Police Station is a Victorian building of brick and slate construction with stone dressings. A set of plans dating to 1995 show that the interior remained largely intact at this time, including a set of cells, exercise yard, parade room, sergeants' office, charge office, witnesses waiting room, court room etc.' (1) The Court House and Police Station are not present on the 2nd edition 25" OS map of c1900. They first appear on the 3rd edition 25" OS map of the early 20th century. (2-3) The building was considered for adding to the National Heritage List for England in 2022 but was rejected. The report on the building and the reasons for its rejection is available. (4) 'HISTORY AND DETAILS Renishaw Police Station and Courthouse opened on 28 November 1904. The complex was built on land associated with the Sitwell Arms until the early C20, and it is suggested that court sessions were previously held there. The construction of the new buildings was overseen by the County Surveyor, Mr J Somes Storey. The Police Station and Courthouse is first depicted on the 1923 Ordnance Survey map, along with the neighbouring pair of semi-detached houses, numbers 33 and 35 Station Road, which were reportedly built contemporaneously as staff accommodation. The map depicts the footprint of the police station and adjoining courthouse fronting Station Street with the courthouse being set slightly back from the frontage of the police station and extending further to the rear. The footprint of the police station remains much the same as the present day, while the courthouse was extended to the rear by the early 1960s with a single-storey, flat-roofed extension. Detached garages and outhouses were also built to the eastern edge of the site at this time. Permission was granted to convert the buildings to a single dwelling around 1995 and contemporary floor plans reportedly suggested that the interior remained largely intact at this time, and included a set of cells, an exercise yard, parade room, sergeants’ office, charge office, witnesses waiting room, and courtroom. The courtroom was subsequently subdivided for exhibition space. The building was sold in 2022. The police station and courthouse are constructed of red brick laid in Flemish bond, with ashlar dressings and a hipped, slate roof. The building is of two storeys, defined by a stone string course and moulded eaves cornice. The principal elevation faces Station Road to the south-west. The three-bay courthouse is set slightly back from the police station and features a central doorway with carved stone ‘Court House’ signage above. The Police Station is of four bays, including a double-height canted bay, and features ashlar quoining. The off-centre doorway features a top light with carved stone ‘Police Station’ signage above. Windows and doorways to both parts of the building have banded stone architraves, the courthouse featuring three-over-three sashes, while those to the police station are two-over-two. The south-east elevation features a double-height square bay. Windows to the rear and sides of the building are a mixture of sashes and casements with stone lintels and concrete sills. The former courtroom features full-height windows. Attached to its eastern end is a mid-C20 single-storey flat roofed extension with steel framed windows and a flat-roofed porch facing the inner courtyard. To the interior of the building, the former cells and cell corridor survive well, with their original doors, glazed tiling and fanlights. The rest of the interior is modestly detailed with some of the ground-floor walls removed to open up some of the rooms. There are some original fireplaces, including a range to the first floor, while some appear to have been replaced and others removed. The former courtroom features tongue and groove panelling and has been sub-divided with timber partitioning and an inserted ceiling. The 1960s extension retains a panelled courtroom bench and judge’s office. ASSESSMENT The Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings (DCMS, November 2018) sets out the statutory criteria for designation explaining that, to be added to the List, buildings must be of special architectural and historic interest. It explains that progressively greater selection is necessary for buildings dating after 1850. Historic England’s Listing Selection Guides for Law and Government Buildings (December 2017) provides further considerations relevant to the assessment of this building type. Judged against the criteria, the considerations in our supplementary guidance and the information available, the Old Police Station and Courthouse in Renishaw is not recommended for listing for the following principal reasons: Degree of Architectural interest: * the domestic design of the building is architecturally modest, and while it has some good detailing, such the carved stone plaques above the principal entrances, it lacks the architectural quality and street presence of other listed examples of this period and building type; * the interior retains some legibility of its former functions, with good survival of the original cells, however, the original courtroom and offices have seen a greater degree of alteration and what remains is architecturally modest and therefore does not sufficiently raise the degree of architectural interest. Degree of Historic interest: * the building has good local historic interest as a combined police station and courthouse serving the local community, however, judged against the national requirements, the degree of interest is not sufficient to meet the standard required for listing. CONCLUSION While the Old Police Station and Courthouse has some interesting features and is of clear local interest, judged within the national context, it falls short of the standard required to be listed.' (4)