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© Mr Paul Spence

IoE Number: 386722
Location: ASSIZE COURTS (OR THE CITADEL), ENGLISH STREET
  CARLISLE, CARLISLE, CUMBRIA
Photographer: Mr Paul Spence
Date Photographed: 28 June 2002
Date listed: 01 June 1949
Date of last amendment: 11 April 1994
Grade I

CARLISLE NY4055NW ENGLISH STREET 671-1/12/135 (West side) 01/06/49 Crown Court, adjoining offices and gate arch (Formerly Listed as: Assize Courts (or the Citadel)) GV I Formerly known as: The Citadel. Crown Court and Court Offices on the site of the 1542 Citadel. 1810-17 (interior not completed until 1822) by Sir Robert Smirke. Red sandstone ashlar on chamfered plinth with string courses, machicolated cornice (in part) and battlemented parapets. Hipped lead roofs. Rounded tall tower is completely C19, on the site of the demolished western tower of the Citadel (of the same dimensions); clasping the NW side is a lower 2-storey office block of 6 bays, with mock gate projection into English Street; all in Gothic style and almost a mirror image of the Nisi Prius Court range opposite, with which it forms a pair. Tower has tall 2-light windows in rounded deeply-recessed chamfered arch, over small lancets. Office block has right double plank doors in pointed Gothic arch; similar off-centre doorway projects in a battlemented porch, now fitted with a casement window. Ground-floor stone mullioned windows in double chamfered surrounds. Larger 2-light Gothic windows above with central trefoil heads in pointed arches. Gate projection was formerly a passageway to the court; ends in 2 octagonal turrets flanking central arch under a cross vent; the side walls have been pierced by 2 pointed arches created in 1929 (formerly the pavement went around the turrets). INTERIOR of court retains its original galleried seating of panelled oak. The offices are internally divided on ground floor. Members' room has late C19 monogrammed carved oak fireplace with tiled and engraved slate fireback. Upper floor No.2 Courtroom has plain stone fireplace, pointed archways, dado panelling along one wall and rib-panelled plaster ceiling. In an outer corridor the removal of a false ceiling has revealed the earlier painting of the panelled ceiling. Marble statue of Major Aglionby by Musgrave Lewthwaite Watson, 1844, has been moved from the main entrance and temporarily boxed in to prevent damage during renovation work. Staircase has ribbed and traceried wooden ceiling with flat central skylight (void above). Grand Jury Room has dado oak panelling; pointed arches, one an alcove and rib-vaulted plaster ceiling. Some original panelled doors. For further details see J Hughes CWAAS, Trans.NS LXX, Perriam CWAAS, Trans.NS LXXVIII. (Cumb. & West. Antiquarian & Archaeological Soc., New Series: Hughes J: LXX: The building of the Courts, Carlisle 1807-22: 205-20; Cumb. & West. Antiquarian & Archaeological Soc., New Series: Perriam DR: LXXVIII: The dating of the County Goal: 129-140).