The Royal Courts of Justice
Lets do the RCJ It is a wet and miserable Thursday on Strand this morning so lets do the RCJ! The Royal Courts of Justice (please note the use of capitals and appropriate 's') are the nation's main civil courts. They preside over the most serious civil trials in the country including divorce, libel, civil liability and appeals. (Crime gets ‘done’ round the corner at the Old Bailey). The TV camera crews from Sky, BBC, ITN and a multitude of satellites set up on the island at the back end of St Clement Danes. The famous appeal stories are usually shot from here and the picture at the bottom of my blog is the one they always cut too (Bridget Jones memories?) and I enjoy popping over there for a Lunchtime snoop and atmospheric encounter. Join me? SM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Royal Courts of Justice - the High Court
Strand, London WC1
The building is a large grey / white stone edifice in the Victorian Gothic style and was designed by George Edmund Street, a solicitor turned architect, and built in the 1870s. (It is estimated that it is made from 35 million bricks faced with Portland stone, just touching them, as I did this morning made me groan. Memories of tour guides around Paris telling me (when I was 15, etched into my memory) that the Tour d'eiffel (an outstanding engineering achievement), was designed by Gustave Eiffel (who also designed the framework for the Statue of Liberty) and had 90 million rivets. Who knows if that is true and why is still in my cerebral hemisphere?). The Royal Courts of Justice are said to contain 1,000 rooms and 3.5 miles (lots of kilometres) of corridors. The stress of building was so great that it caused Street's early death- I am still chasing if this is true or not.)
The Royal Courts of Justice was opened by Queen Victoria in December 1882 and became the permanent home of the Supreme Court. Strandman proudly declares it to be on the Strand, in the City of Westminster, near the border with the City of London and the London Borough of Camden. It is surrounded by the four Inns of Court.
If you find yourself there on business not pleasure- don’t panic: Those who do not have legal representation may receive some assistance within the court building. The Citizens Advice Bureau has a small office in the main entrance hall where lawyers provide free advice. There is usually a queue for this service. There is also a Personal Support Unit where litigants in person can get emotional support and practical information about what happens in court.
The interior of the building is as magnificent as the façade and a real gothic delight. I spent a good 5 minutes staring upwards, the noises from the miles of corridors and great rooms echoing. It gives a tremendously uplifting feeling.
The public are admitted to all 88 court rooms and can come and go as they please, although Judges will not suffer interruptions when they are passing judgement or witnesses are taking oaths. Incidentally fancy hiring a court for a party? Well, err….. you can. At £175 per hour. Nice.
Prominent lists in the central hall indicate which case is being held in which court and how far the proceedings have gone.
The Royal Courts of Justice also contains a small exhibition of legal dress and other slightly dated and cold stuff. But don’t go for that go for the amazing soul of the place, the history (of which loads to come in weeks, months and years of this blog- a kind of Hello Magazine for the RCJ.)
Admission free don’t be put off by the Metal detectors! Or if you feel really cheap, try this panoramic view which is ace. Open: Mon-Fri: 09:30-16:30, Closed Public Holidays
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BigAL (19.10.06 10:44) Been in there once- kind of spooky and holy but with public access. I was put off first time by metal detectors and security but did get to sit in on couple of courts. Recommended. |
