Guildhall, Police Station and Central Fire Station, Nottingham

Guildhall, Police Station and Central Fire Station, Nottingham

Former Magistrates’ court, police station and fire station, all in one grand 1880s building with a stunning entrance hall and Art Deco features

Visited October 2018  UK Burton Street, Nottingham, UK Disused

Nottingham Guildhall is a former Magistrates’ court on Burton Street in Nottingham. Built in the French Renaissance Revival style between 1887-1888 to replace the previous Nottingham Guild Hall, it was designed by architects Thomas Verity and George Henry Hunt. The building as erected contained the Police (magistrates’) Court, the Central Police Station and the new Fire Station.

In 1996, all magistrates were moved to the new Nottingham Magistrates’ Court building. Between 1996 and 2010 the Guildhall was occupied by Nottingham City Council. In 2010 the Council left for new, modern offices at Loxley House, close to Nottingham rail station. Since this date the building has remained Council owned but is relatively unused.

Exterior of the Guildhall, Nottingham
Exterior of the Guildhall, Nottingham

The Guildhall

Nottingham Guildhall - The grand entrance hall
Nottingham Guildhall – The grand entrance hall
Nottingham Guildhall - View down the entrance hall
Nottingham Guildhall – View down the entrance hall
Nottingham Guildhall - The grand entrance hall
Nottingham Guildhall – The grand entrance hall
Nottingham Guildhall - List of lord mayors
Nottingham Guildhall – List of lord mayors
Nottingham Guildhall - Queen Victoria plaque
Nottingham Guildhall – Queen Victoria plaque
Nottingham Guildhall - One of the two matching staircases
Nottingham Guildhall – One of the two matching staircases
Nottingham Guildhall - King George V plaque
Nottingham Guildhall – King George V plaque
Nottingham Guildhall - Belgian Refugee's plaque
Nottingham Guildhall – Belgian Refugee’s plaque

Court Rooms

The two courtrooms situated side-by-side were a mirror image of each other, and had not been used since 1996. A suspended ceiling had been added and later removed, but the framework remains.​

Courtroom 1​

Nottingham Guildhall - Courtroom No. 1 from the back
Nottingham Guildhall – Courtroom No. 1 from the back
Nottingham Guildhall - Angle view of courtroom No. 1
Nottingham Guildhall – Angle view of courtroom No. 1
Nottingham Guildhall - Courtroom No. 1 from the front
Nottingham Guildhall – Courtroom No. 1 from the front
Nottingham Guildhall - Wording detail on reporters bench
Nottingham Guildhall – Wording detail on reporters bench
Nottingham Guildhall - Wording detail on jurors bench
Nottingham Guildhall – Wording detail on jurors bench

Courtroom 2​

Court 2 was pretty much the same as Court 1, just mirrored with the public viewing galleries (the balcony) of each court back-to-back​

Nottingham Guildhall - Courtroom No. 2 from the back
Nottingham Guildhall – Courtroom No. 2 from the back
Nottingham Guildhall - Angle view of courtroom No. 2
Nottingham Guildhall – Angle view of courtroom No. 2
Nottingham Guildhall - Side view of court 2 and the view gallery
Nottingham Guildhall – Side view of court 2 and the view gallery

Cells

The old cells were directly below the court rooms, and feature some nice decay, original brickwork and generally look like the kind of place you don’t want to be locked up in.​

Nottingham Guildhall - Bench and urinal in communal cell
Nottingham Guildhall – Bench and urinal in communal cell
Nottingham Guildhall - Bars in cell corridor
Nottingham Guildhall – Bars in cell corridor
Nottingham Guildhall - View into one of the cells
Nottingham Guildhall – View into one of the cells
Nottingham Guildhall - Cell block corridor
Nottingham Guildhall – Cell block corridor
Nottingham Guildhall - More of the cell block
Nottingham Guildhall – More of the cell block

Other areas of the Guildhall​

Nottingham Guildhall - Top of the staircase
Nottingham Guildhall – Top of the staircase
Nottingham Guildhall - Entrance to the public viewing galleries on the first floor
Nottingham Guildhall – Entrance to the public viewing galleries on the first floor
Nottingham Guildhall - Corridor in the office section
Nottingham Guildhall – Corridor in the office section
Nottingham Guildhall - I suspect this room with an ornate ceiling had been double the height, and had an additional floor added at some point in the past
Nottingham Guildhall – I suspect this room with an ornate ceiling had been double the height, and had an additional floor added at some point in the past
Nottingham Guildhall - Nice windows in a side area
Nottingham Guildhall – Nice windows in a side area
Nottingham Guildhall - Floating walkway interconnecting the police station and courtrooms of the Guildhall​
Nottingham Guildhall – Floating walkway interconnecting the police station and courtrooms of the Guildhall​

Police and Fire Station​

Exterior of the police station (left-central) and fire station (right)
Exterior of the police station (left-central) and fire station (right)
Courtyard between the Guildhall, police station and fire station​
Courtyard between the Guildhall, police station and fire station​

Fire Station

Fire Station - Inside the main entrance
Fire Station – Inside the main entrance
Fire Station - Some Art Deco features remained
Fire Station – Some Art Deco features remained
Fire Station - Art Deco staircase
Fire Station – Art Deco staircase
Fire Station - Pool table in the recreation room
Fire Station – Pool table in the recreation room
Fire Station - Steps to weird bar area
Fire Station – Steps to weird bar area
Fire Station - Rear of the fire station
Fire Station – Rear of the fire station
Fire Station - Doors to the fire station's garage​
Fire Station – Doors to the fire station’s garage​

Police Station​

Police Station​ - Reception
Police Station​ – Reception
Police Station​ - Art Deco staircase matching that of the fire station
Police Station​ – Art Deco staircase matching that of the fire station
Police Station​ - Entrance to the Command Suite
Police Station​ – Entrance to the Command Suite
Police Station​ - Command Suite corridor
Police Station​ – Command Suite corridor
Police Station​ - Corridor in the police station
Police Station​ – Corridor in the police station
Police Station​ - Another staircase, this one leading to the cells below...
Police Station​ – Another staircase, this one leading to the cells below…
Police Station​ - Staircase to the cells
Police Station​ – Staircase to the cells
Police Station​ - One of the police station cells​
Police Station​ – One of the police station cells​
Author: Andy Kay | Facebook | Flickr | Instagram

9 thoughts on Guildhall, Police Station and Central Fire Station, Nottingham

  1. I am preparing one music video for musician from nottingham and now I am looking for great places for it. And I think I found it.. Where did you find permission to step in? Thanks and by do way, I went thru all your pictures, Are amazing!!

    • All the photos on this website were taken without gaining permission, we just sneak in (without breaking in!) and have a look around

  2. Absolutely brilliant, moved us to tears. Ideal museum and art gallery, instead of the “Castle”.

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