DUMBARTON SHERIFF COURT AND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT, Church Street, Dumbarton.
ACCESS : Viewed from the road. This is an active courthouse.
Listed B. (Excluding modern extension).
Dumbarton Town Centre Conservation Area.
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Also see TOLBOOTH : TOLBOOTH
And the DUMBARTON PRISON : DUMBARTON PRISON, glasgow road, dumbarton
This fine building contributes to the streetscape and the designated Conservation Area and works well as a group alongside the restored Academy Building, now the Council offices and the tenements with shops along Church Street. The building has some particularly fine classical detailing to its front elevation. It is set back from the road which also gives an increased sense of formality appropriate to its purpose.
The foundation stone of the Dumbarton Sheriff Court was laid in 1824 and completed in 1826. The architecet was James Gillespie Graham. Internally, the court has exceptionally delicate metal work to the gallery. This is the same architect who designed Ross Priory. The various older alterations and extensions to the building are in keeping with James Gillespie Graham's 1824 scheme which is clearly seen as the central section of the front elevation. These extensions were designed by Willliam Spence in 1861. The implementation of the Local Government (Scotland) Act of 1889 led to the establishment of county councils in every county. That in turn meant that offices were required for the new Dumbartonshire County Council and the building was therefore further enlarged, in the late 19th century, to incorporate a council chamber for the new county council, as well as offices for the police, to a design by Duncan McNaughtan. [Wiki].
The harsher modernist extensions are not covered by the listed status, but the newer internal modern fittings and details are generally well considered.
Signs of which parts were of the original building can still be discerned internally. For instance, some windows or at least their original locations can be seen. It comes as a bit of a surprise to come across one with distinctly Charles Rennie Mackintosh style stained glasswork. Any information on why this is here would be welcome. It appears to be a later installation.
Over the last 2 centuries, it has served not just as a courthouse but also as the seat of Dunbartonshire County Council and as the headquarters of the local police force. At one time there was serious consideration of completely removing it and rebuilding elsewhere. Public sentiment though swayed that and it survived albeit with extensions and modifications. Since 1965 it has exclusively served as the Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court and it was extensively modernised in 2009
In this map of 1859 you can see the court building in the centre. To the rear of it (east) is the prison. To the front of it across Church Street is a tannery. Imagine the stench. NLS. © See reference below.
A close up of the court building from the same map. The ground floor rooms are labelled Sassine Office, Sheriff Office and Town Clerk Office with the Sheriff's Room to the rear. (Sasine refers in Scots law as investment by registration of a deed transferring ownership of property or the conferring of possession of feudal property. To the front is a "Russian Trophy" which is apparently a large gun probably seized during the Crimean War.
Crime and punishment were dealt with initially within the Tolbooth in the High Street, which was essentially a municipal centre of management, crime and civil disturbance being considered a component of that. So it was not uncommon to see miscreants on view in the stocks at the landing at the top of the stairs. Punishment and deterrent being largely one of shame. and public ridicule. As more serious crimes, such as witchcraft, were dealt with a prison became necessary and this was built on the then outskirts of the town - coincidently just behind this Sheriff Court building. Remnants of those still remain.
CANMORE : https://canmore.org.uk/site/121426/dumbarton-church-street-sheriff-court
GEOGRAPH : Lairch Rigg : https://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Dumbarton-Prison
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND website for listed buildings : http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB24875
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND (Maps).: Dumbarton - Sheet XX11.6.11 & XX.11.6.12. (Surveyed 91859). https://maps.nls.uk/view/74415249; https://maps.nls.uk/view/74415250
NATIONAL RECORDS OF SCOTLAND (Architects) : https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/learning/hall-of-fame/hall-of-fame-a-z/graham-james-gillespie#:~:text=James%20Gillespie%20Graham%20designed%20churches
WIKIPEDIA : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton_Sheriff_Court
