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Sheffield - Crown Courts & High Court (Old Town Hall) - February 2014 | Oblivion State Urban Exploration

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Sheffield - Crown Courts & High Court (Old Town Hall) - February 2014

The_Raw

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I travelled up to York for a wedding last week so decided to make the most of my time oop north and spent a couple of days in Sheffield. I visited the courts with Acid- Reflux who was kind enough to revisit the place on my behalf. Seeing as I had my suit with me I figured it would be rude if I didn't wear it in court. The policeman's hat was a last minute idea I had as I walked past a fancy dress shop the day before. Credit goes to Acid- Reflux for taking those shots

I have to say this place is pretty spectacular, it's unbelievable to see all those beautiful mahogany court rooms and that staircase laying to waste. We were surprised to be the only visitors for the duration, I realise a lot of people have reported on this spot recently so I hope my take on it adds something a bit different.

The History:

Sheffield Old Town Hall stands on Waingate in central Sheffield, England, opposite Castle Market. The building was commissioned to replace Sheffield's first town hall, which had opened in 1700 to a design by William Renny. This first structure stood by the parish church, on a site with little prospect for extension.

The Old Town Hall was built in 1807–8 by Charles Watson, and was designed to house not only the Town Trustees but also the Petty and Quarter Sessions. The initial building was a five-bay structure fronting Castle Street, but it was extended in 1833 and again in 1866 by William Flockton (1804–1864) of Sheffield and his partner for the project, Abbott; the most prominent feature was the new central clock tower over a new main entrance that reoriented the building to Waingate. At the same time, the building's courtrooms were linked by underground passages to the neighbouring Sheffield Police Offices.

The first Town Council was elected in 1843 and took over the lease of the Town Trustees' hall in 1866. The following year, the building was extensively renovated, with a clock tower designed by Flockton & Abbott being added.

By the 1890s, the building had again become too small, and the current Sheffield Town Hall was built further south. The Old Town Hall was again extended in 1896–97, by the renamed Flockton, Gibbs & Flockton, and became Sheffield Crown Court and Sheffield High Court. In the 1990s, these courts moved to new premises, and since at least 1997 to present, the building remains disused.

In 2007, it was named by the Victorian Society as one of their top ten buildings most at-risk (most at risk of becoming the most over-explored building in the UK perhaps?).

Exterior

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Cell block



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Court Rooms

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It was him....

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It wasn't me....

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The Stairs

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Other bits and pieces

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Clock Tower

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skeleton key

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Looks like you put you time up North to good use and would be silly not too.

The location really has some lovely features and have captured the place well.

Thanks for the share bud (y)

 

Lara

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Cracking shots right there! Thanks for sharing :)

:comp

 

jones-y-gog

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Very nice indeed. And the place to yourself? Bonus!

 

chopper

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Nice set Raw, looks like a quality splore

 

Nelly

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Mint!!!! Brilliant!!!

 

BadBatz

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Externals are nice enough.

 

The_Raw

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Thanks everyone, it's a cracker of a place (y)

 

Silent Hill

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Sheffers has some excellent architectural delights, and this one is right up there (y)

Excellent report mate.

 

The_Raw

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very nicely captured mate... And love the policeman hat shot :)
thanks mate, here's the angry Scotsman.... :D

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