Building record 1160/103/2 - The Sessions House

An L-shaped building, built between 1675 and 1678. Attributed to Henry Bell of Kings Lynn and to Sir Roger Norwich, responsible for the plan. It was designed to accommodate two courtrooms and a public area. Wings to the east and west may be contemporary with the Sessions House but appear to be 18th or 19th century. The courtyard was roofed over 19th century. Internally, there are very fine plaster ceilings, 1684-8, by Edward Goudge

{1} Architectural survey in supplementary files drawer.

{2} Dated 1676-8; one of first buildings begun after fire of 1675; attributed to Henry Bell of Kings Lynn and to Sir Roger Norwich responsible for plan. The slate roof once had a cupola and oval dormers; plaster ceilings inside of 1684-88 by Edward Goudge.

{3} During the hundred years from 1570 to 1670 the County Gaol and the Assize were removed to the vicinity near All Saints Church now called the Sessions House. By 1670 plans were already being made for the construction of a permanent, central Sessions House following the King's sanction to demolish the Castle in 1662. The second Sessions House (board and timber version?) sited on the market square was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1675. Also recorded at time of Fire, it consumed 'timber drawn into the Market Place for the Sessions House' which meant the erection of a building on George Row soon after this date. Lead rainwater hopper on west façade carries the date 1678 although a documentary record states that the ornate ceilings were put in over the period between 1684-1688. Bridges attributes architect to Sir Roger Norwich, but others may have contributed to the phases of the building. Building L-shaped in plan. Central roof cupola removed before 1747 and the frontal iron railings were removed soon after 1747. The roof is unusual in having King/Queen post form, with a Dagon truss lying diagonally above the front foyer. Original carpentry is of oak probably the consignment from Whittlewood Forest which the King gave to the town after the fire (see drawing 729/5).

{4} Building's north façade is featured on the map; central roof cupola was removed due to disrepaired state although illustrated.

{6} County Hall built 1676; [photo confused].

{7} 1676-8, one of the first buildings to be begun after the town fire of 1675. Attributed to Henry Bell of Kings Lynn and to Sir Roger Norwich, responsible for the plan. Symmetrical front with Corinthian order. 3 central windows between pilasters under balustrade with swags enclosing central shield. Semi-circular headed doorway either end between coupled half columns under segmental pediments. Hipped Welsh slated roof once had cupola and oval dormers under pediments. West side elevation has round headed doorway flanked by coupled pilasters under pediment with swags and cartouche in tympanum. Tall plinth, single storey. Interior: very fine plaster ceilings, 1684-8 by Edward Goudge. AM. Judge's Lodgings, Sessions House, County Hall, County Council Offices and Nos 8, 8A, 9 and 9A form a group.

{8} No architect can be tied with certainty to its design; Henry Lee, Town Clerk at the time of the fire records that the Sessions House was 'contrived and layd out by Sir Roger Norwich, I being with him at the laying of it out'. However, while Norwich was the head of the Commission of Justices responsible for its erection and general layout, it is unlikely that he was responsible for such a fine classical façade. It seems more likely that the design was by Henry Bell of Kings Lynn, a document dated 1677 records that it was 'Order'd and Agreed that Mr Henry Bell and Mr Edward Edwards, two experience'd surveyors now residing in the said Town of Northampton' should be employed as managers for the rebuilding of All Saints Church. Edwards later received £100 in connection with the building of the Sessions House, but is possible that he was acting as Bells Assistant. The building bears similarities to other buildings known to have been designed by Bell.
Two lead rainwater hoppers are dated 1678- they must represent the date the weatherproof shell of the building was completed; the carving of the fine exterior stonework was by Caius Gabriel Cibber, a Danish sculptor; documentary evidence provides a date of 1684-88 for the creation of the plaster ceiling by Goudge of London; the scheme of decoration for the plasterwork was used to emphasise the areas of different usage within the building;
A drawing by Stukely dated 1711 and an engraving on Jefferys map of Northampton in 1747 both show that the roof was surmounted by a hexagonal cupola and two dormers in the shape of oval lunettes beneath pediments on the north front; also present on Tillemans drawings of 1719'; the Jefferys engraving calls the building The County Hall and describes that 'The cupola being out of repair has been taken down'.
More repairs to the roof were made in 1802- perhaps relating to replacement or strengthening of the timbers; further extensive improvements were made in 1812- the dividing wall between the Crown court and the Nisi Prius court was inserted at this time; windows on the north side of the building were replaced in 1894; court room furnishings were refurbished in 1963.
The cells are of late 19th or 20th century layout, they comprise of two levels- the upper part comprises a single rectangular room of stone walls with a brick vault which lies beneath the Crown Court; the second level leads from the south end of the upper level via a flight of stpes and is late 18th or 19th century in build. Goff (County Architect) said in 1972 sections of the stonework were discoloured by fire- parts of the basement pre-date the fire and therefore the present building? He also suggests that they were part of the earlier gaol and incorporated to allow direct access to the new Crown Courts above.

{10} The Sessions House appears to be unique in England being the only building of its type to have survived from the 17th century in substantially unaltered form.. .. There are large ares of oak wall panelling, parts of which may be original. The floor of the Stone Hall appears to be the only section that dates from the time the building was constructed.

{11} Sessions House built in 1676. Well maintained but underused. County Council keeping possible new uses under review.

{18} During refurbishment works a timber was noted in the wall between the Blue Room and the room to the south. The timber was most likely part of the wall studding or a redundant lintel although it was below the level of the other existing lintels in the wall. A section of this timber was removed to allow the planned refurbishment to take place. An existing fireplace on the south wall of the room was photographed. It was not the original fireplace and was due to be covered as part of the works.

{19} NCC art collection at County Hall reflects important aspects of the county's judicial and political history and dates from the 17th century. The collection falls into three parts: those relating to the authority of the courts, those reflecting the County Council's role and history, and the more eclectic group furnishing the Judges' Lodgings.
Two of the oldest paintings in the collection are the full length portraits of William III and Mary II by Wolfgange William Claret of 1689. They hang in the Prius Nisi Court and symbolise the rising judicial authority of Northampton's Sessions House, built in 1675 after the town's devastation by fire. In contrast, the 19th century Council Chamber is lined with paitings of former Chairmen and County Councillors including one of Cllr Dora Oxenham by 20th century modernist painter Kyffin Williams.

{20} The assize courts and county gaol were based throughout the Middle Ages at Northampton Castle on the western edge of the town. The castle was ‘slighted’ on orders of Charles II in 1662 (possibly because it was a Cromwellian stronghold through the Civil War) and subsequently was increasingly unsuitable for the legal administration of the county. The shift away from the castle into the town appears to have happened over the 100 years between 1570 and 1670 reflecting shifts in social and civic emphasis as well as the physical decline of the fabric of the castle building, although courts were still held at the castle during much of the C17th. It is known that by the 1670s work had started on a new purpose-built sessions house in the centre, but as a ‘board and timber shed’ this was probably always considered as temporary. Timber which was being stacked in the market place for a more permanent building was, along with the temporary structure, entirely destroyed by the fire that devastated almost all of the largely timber-founded town in 1675.
The move to rebuild the town after the fire was led by the Earl of Northampton. A bill was passed in only 6 weeks and the resulting Act permitted the enlarging of streets, lanes and passages, ensured the use of less flammable materials (all new buildings were to be roofed with lead, slate or tile), and allowed that properties not rebuilt within 3 years could be compulsorily bought by others who would undertake the rebuilding. Much of the pre-fire street plan was retained and the town remained a thriving commercial centre throughout this period.
The Sessions House was constructed between 1676 and 1678 as part of the rebuilding of Northampton after a devastating fire destroyed much of the town in 1675. It has an ‘L’ shaped footprint and contains three principal rooms, although originally it would have contained a single open space although still accommodating three functional areas. Other later buildings and additions have expanded the complex of buildings associated with the court, county legal system and prison to the south, east and west.
The building is attributed to Henry Bell of Kings Lynn with other input from Sir Roger Norwich, who had a principal hand in laying out the town after the fire. It has a decorative classical façade with ornate stonework by Caius Gabriel Cibber. The interiors are decorated with a series of excellent plaster ceilings by Edward Goudge. Originally the building had a tall central cupola and two dormer windows to the roof, these were removed during the first part of the C18th. Other than that removal the C18th saw few changes to the building.
The C19th was the period of most change to the building, particularly a single phase of works in 1812. The Crown and Nisi Prius courts were subdivided off form each other leaving the Stone Hall as the main entrance and circulation space. The court furniture and fittings were also redone although probably replicating original C17th panelled internal finishes. Holding cells were inserted beneath the building, perhaps incorporating some small areas of earlier cellar, and stairs from these inserted directly into the two court rooms. The courtyard area to the south-east of the Sessions House was enclosed to create the Blue Room.
The building saw few major alterations through the C20th and it ceased to function as a court in 1991. It has recently undergone a series of alterations and repairs focussed on improving access, repairing the structure where necessary, refreshing and repairing the decorative schemes and converting the building for modern use as a reception and display area with the two former courts available for meetings and other functions. These proposals were designed with a light touch to preserve the significance of the building and its historic fabric.
During the recording work no evidence was uncovered that altered the understanding of the history of the development or phasing of the building.
Details of the Sessions House development and features, and further analysis. Maps, plans drawings and photographs.

{21} Graffitied stone set into brick wall of 20th-century toilet. The stone may have been found during the construction of the toilet foundations. The stone is dated 1664 recording a Quaker imprisoned for not swearing allegiance to the king.

{24} Descheduled 1990.

{26} Photo dated 1993;

<1> Chapman A.; Chapman P., 2000-01, Northampton, Sessions House, (checked) (Note). SNN104019.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), DOE(HHR) Dist.of Northampton Northants. Jan. 197, H14 p.67 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> GOFF J., 1972, Observations As To The Sessions House, George Row, Northampton, (checked) (Report). SNN1137.

<4> Noble; Butlin, 1746, Town Map, (part checked) (Map). SNN430.

<5> Markham C.A., 1885, History of The County Buildings of Northamptonshire: 1. The County Gaol 2. The County Hall 3. The Judges Lodgings & County Bridewells, p.33-56 (unchecked) (Book). SNN105239.

<6> 1998, Buildings At Risk Survey, p.46 (checked) (Report). SNN43352.

<7> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 3+4/12 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<8> Prentice, J., 2000, The Development and History of the Sessions House, Northampton, (checked) (Report). SNN104697.

<9> Building Survey, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN1247.

<10> Bond, A., 2000, The Sessions House Northampton: Conservation Statement, (checked) (Report). SNN104699.

<11> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2008, Heritage at Risk Register, 2008, p.39 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN106096.

<13> Northamptonshire Heritage - Northamptonshire County Council (NCC), The Sessions House, Northampton, (unchecked) (Leaflet). SNN76540.

<14> Calladine, A. & Heward, J., 1993, Historic Building Report: The Sessions House, George Row, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN106700.

<15> Cadman, G., 2008, Sessions House and Judges Lodgings, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN106852.

<16> GOFF J., 1972, Court Building, Northampton - historical notes and notes on structural condition of the fabric, (unchecked) (Extract). SNN106699.

<17> 2003, Sessions House, (unchecked) (Photographs). SNN106878.

<18> Cadman, G., 2006, County Hall, Blue Room: Features revealed during refurbishment works, (unchecked) (Note). SNN106993.

<19> BBC, 2012, Your Paintings, (unchecked) (Website). SNN108558.

<20> O'Reilly J., 2010, Historic Building Record in Respect of the Sessions House, Northampton, p.6-33 (checked) (Report). SNN108929.

<21> Cadman, G., 2012, Inscribed stone at Session House (Note). SNN108553.

<22> Giggins, B., 2012, Inscribed stone at Session House (Note). SNN108552.

<23> Historic England, Undated, The Sessions House, George Row, Northampton, BF085097 (Archive). SNN113520.

<24> Scheduled Monument Notification, 1990 (Note). SNN113001.

<25> Historic England, Undated, SESSIONS HOUSE, NORTHAMPTON, BF093947 (Archive). SNN113521.

<26> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

<27> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 442-3 (Book). SNN111989.

Record last edited

Sep 19 2024 9:06AM