Maitland Court House
Maitland Court House, 2017
LocationHigh Street, Maitland, City of Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates32°43′46″S 151°33′09″E / 32.7294°S 151.5525°E / -32.7294; 151.5525
Built1895–
ArchitectWalter Liberty Vernon
OwnerAttorney General's Department
Official nameMaitland Court House; Maitland Courthouse
Typestate heritage (built)
Designated2 April 1999
Reference no.794
TypeCourthouse
CategoryLaw Enforcement
Maitland Court House is located in New South Wales
Maitland Court House
Location of Maitland Court House in New South Wales

Maitland Court House is a heritage-listed courthouse at High Street, Maitland, City of Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon and built in 1895–96. The property is owned by the Department of Justice. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

History

The Maitland Court House was built in 1895–96 to the designs of Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon at a cost of £11,700. The contractors were William Taylor and Sons of Maitland, and the stone used in construction came from the Ravenswood quarry. It was formally opened on 19 December 1896. It was designed as a joint courthouse and police station. The new courthouse – often referred to as West Maitland – continued in joint operation with the pre-existing courthouse at East Maitland.[2][3] The site had originally been set aside ten years prior to construction, but the project had faced numerous delays.[4]

The building ceased to be used as a police station in 1986, and the police area remained vacant at the time of the building's heritage listing.[1] The Local Court of New South Wales continues to sit in the courthouse.[5]

The courthouse underwent a $1.1 million restoration in 2013–14, including repairs to the clock tower, replacement of the roof with slate tiles, new floors and new seating. It closed from November 2013 to February 2014 to accommodate the works.[6] It had previously undergone a $50,000 security upgrade in 2010; prior to this, the building had been described as "effectively [having] had no security".[7][8]

Description

The Maitland Court House is an outstanding building designed during the transition of Victorian and Federation periods. It is Federation Free Classical in style and detailing, using typical Federation materials such as face red brick with contrasting sandstone trim. The building complex is prominently located in the main business street. The clock tower mounted on the Court House roof is a land mark within the district. The Court Room is accessed through a formal colonnaded portico. Classical detailing in Ravensfield sandstone decorates the building. The hipped and gabled roofs are clad in slate tiles.[1]

Other accommodation includes a general office, waiting room, prisoner access to court room, toilets, and community legal centre office,[1]

It was reported to be in good condition as at 30 October 2000.[1]

Heritage listing

The Maitland Court House is an outstanding and grandly designed Federation Free Classical building. The building is located prominently within the business precinct of Maitland where the clock tower mounted on the Court Room is a local landmark. This building is of significance to the state. The building has a lengthy association with the provision of justice in the district.[1]

Maitland Court House was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Maitland Court House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00794. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  2. ↑ "New Court House, Maitland". Dungog Chronicle : Durham and Gloucester Advertiser. Vol. VI, no. 1002. New South Wales, Australia. 22 December 1896. p. 2 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "Completion of the New Court House, West Maitland". The Maitland Weekly Mercury. Vol. 7128, no. 140. New South Wales, Australia. 5 September 1896. p. 11 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Maitland Courthouse". State Heritage Inventory. Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  5. ↑ "More sitting days for courts". Newcastle Herald. 7 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "Maitland court re-opens after facelift". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Millions for jails, courts". Newcastle Herald. 9 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "Financial justice welcomed". Newcastle Herald. 9 June 2010.

Bibliography

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Maitland Court House, entry number 00794 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 2 June 2018.

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