Question regarding the old town hall and courts

[Sheffield History]

The old town hall down near the Castle Market area

This is also known to many as the old court house and even has cells.

Firstly was this actually really a court house? 

Secondly if so where would the courts have been before this building was built?

As always all help is appreciated!

[LeadFarmer]

The previous Town Hall I believe was located on Church Street, perhaps in the area of Coles Corner?

[Martin Ede]

It was a Crown Court in the eighties. Remember going with Stannington college on a free period during 1983 for the experience. Think it must have changed when the new courts opened opposite Whitbreads brewery.

[Unitedite Returns]

I seem to remember seeing an urban exploration video of this building on you-tube, a couple of years back, but I can't seem to find it at the moment.

Certainly seemed to be something of an architectural gem from what I remember of that video, and it should be better cared for than it is.

Probably, that's the plan though - allow it to fall into such a state of disrepair, that it can then be demolished in order to make way for another ugly new box.

Should be Sheffield's new motto - "you can never have too many ugly new boxes".

Rant over. 

[boginspro]

There was an interesting topic about old town halls started by Calvin72  here :-

 

[lysander]

 A friend was a key witness at a murder trial in the late 1980's and a group of us attended in the Public Gallery to give him some moral support.

[madannie77]

1 hour ago, Unitedite Returns said:

I seem to remember seeing an urban exploration video of this building on you-tube, a couple of years back, but I can't seem to find it at the moment.

Certainly seemed to be something of an architectural gem from what I remember of that video, and it should be better cared for than it is.

I have no idea if this is that video, but I find this fascinating. There are two parts to this exploration. Although the second part shows as 15 minutes plus it is actually only about half that length.

The first part is the main part of the building and the tower, the second is the lower floors and the cells.

 

 

 

[Unitedite Returns]

Thanks for finding them and posting them. I am pretty certain that this is the video I watched, although I must admit that I had forgotten that it was is two parts.

As you say, fascinating indeed.

 

[eldomsmith]

https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/sheffield-old-town-hall-courts-sep-2016.t105401#post-1154402

In fact go to https://www.28dayslater.co.uk and search for Sheffield to see a lot of urban exploration in Sheffield

 

[Trevor Stevens]

This was the Crown Court for many years, and was also the magistrates court until the new one was built.  There is a tunnel which goes under Castle Green from the police cells in the old police headquarters (Now Howells solicitors offices) and those who had been locked up overnight were marched through it to face court in the morning.  The cells seen in one of the photo's were approached through the large vehicle gate at the bottom of Castle Green and prisoners arriving on remand from prison were taken in there.