Banff Sheriff Court

{{short description|Courthouse in Banff, Scotland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Use British English|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Banff Sheriff Court | native_name = | image = Sheriff Court House (geograph 4095159).jpg | caption= Banff Sheriff Court | locmapin =Scotland Aberdeenshire | map_caption =Shown in Aberdeenshire | coordinates ={{coord| 57.6631 |-2.5219 |type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | location = Low Street, Banff | area = | built = 1871 | architect = James Matthews | architecture = Italianate style | designation1 =Category B Listed Building | designation1_offname = Banff Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, including boundary walls and railings, Low Street, Banff | designation1_date = 22 February 1972 | designation1_number = LB22039 | website= }} '''Banff Sheriff Court''' is a judicial structure in Low Street, Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The structure, which was the meeting place of Banffshire County Council and was also used as a courthouse, is a Category B listed building.<ref name=listed>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num= LB22039|desc= Banff Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, including boundary walls and railings, Low Street, Banff |access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref>

==History== Originally, court hearings in Banffshire were held in a tolbooth which was built on the west side of Low Street, on the corner with Strait Path, in the early 16th century.<ref name=canmore>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA|num=241402|num2=NJ66SE 434|desc=Banff, 34 Low Street, Town House|fewer-links=yes| access-date=23 June 2025}}</ref> From the late 18th century, court hearings were held in the newly-built Town House.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=saLNAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA346 |title=The Annals of Banff|first=William|last=Crammond|page=346|year=1891|publisher=New Spalding Club}}</ref> In the mid-19th century it became necessary to commission a dedicated courthouse: the site the sheriff selected was occupied by a private house known as "Little Fillicap",<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=37mCAAAAIAAJ |title= Portrait of the Moray Firth |first=Cuthbert |last=Graham|year=1977|publisher=R. Hales|isbn= 978-0709160182|page=102}}</ref> which had been the home of Katharine Innes, Lady Gight, who was periodically visited there by her grandson, George Gordon Byron, who later became Lord Byron.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://banffmacduffheritagetrail.co.uk/tag/lady-gight/ |title=Lord Byron's Mary Duff|publisher=Banff Preservation and Heritage Society| access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=McKean |first1=Charles |title=Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide |date=1990 |publisher=Mainstream Publications Ltd. |location=Edinburgh |isbn=185158-231-2 |page=15}}</ref>

The courthouse was designed by James Matthews in the Italianate style, built by John Drysdale and Sons in ashlar stone at a cost of £7,214 and was officially opened by sheriff-substitute, James Gordon, on 28 January 1871.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=saLNAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA376 | title=The Annals of Banff|first=William|last=Crammond|page=376|year=1891|publisher=New Spalding Club}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=209750 |title= Banff County Buildings and Sheriff Courthouse|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects|access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/media/20792/banff-conservation-area.pdf |title=Banff Conservation Area Appraisal|page=17|publisher=Aberdeenshire Council|date=1 February 2012|access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref> The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with seven bays facing onto Low Street. The central section of three bays, which was slightly projected forward, featured a three-bay single-storey portico formed by four pairs of Corinthian order columns supporting an entablature surmounted by a balustrade. On the first floor, the central section featured three round headed windows with keystones and architraves, while the outer bays were fenestrated with segmental headed windows on the ground floor and by round headed windows on the first floor, all with keystones and architraves. Internally, the principal room was a double-height courtroom.<ref name=listed/>

Following the implementation of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, which established county councils in every county, the new county leaders needed to identify a meeting place for Banffshire County Council.<ref>{{cite book |last=Shennan |first=Hay |title=Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland: as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889 |year=1892 |publisher=William Green & Sons |location=Edinburgh |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_meygAAAAMAAJ/page/n5 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> A large room on the first floor of the building served as the council chamber.<ref name=listed/>

The county council initially established its offices at 8 Low Street, opposite the sheriff court. In 1934 they bought St Leonard's House on Sandyhill Road, converting that to be their main offices instead. Council meetings continued to be held at the sheriff court.<ref>{{cite news |title=County Offices for Banffshire |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=12 August 2024 |work=Aberdeen Press and Journal |date=13 November 1934 |page=5}}</ref><ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA|num=172722|num2=NJ66SE 184|desc=Banff, Sandyhill Road, St Leonard's House|fewer-links=yes| access-date=23 June 2025}}</ref>

Banffshire County Council was abolished in 1975. The council chamber within the sheriff court then served as the meeting place of Banff and Buchan District Council from 1975 until its abolition in 1996.<ref>{{cite news |title=Banff and Buchan District Council |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=13 August 2024 |work=Aberdeen Press and Journal |date=29 January 1996 |page=14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Set-back for Banff and Buchan - but the fight will go on |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=13 August 2024 |work=Fraserburgh Herald |date=20 May 1994 |page=3}}</ref> Between 1996 and 2020 the council chamber was also used for area committees of Aberdeenshire Council; area committee meetings since 2020 have been held virtually.<ref>{{cite web |title=Banff and Buchan Area Committee, 18 February 2020 |url=https://aberdeenshire.moderngov.co.uk/CeListDocuments.aspx?CommitteeId=143&MeetingId=3522&DF=18%2f02%2f2020&Ver=2 |website=Aberdeenshire Council |access-date=13 August 2024}}</ref>

The building's primary function remains as a courthouse. The courtroom continues to be used for hearings of the sheriff's court and, on one day a month, for hearings of the justice of the peace court.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/banff-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court |title=Banff Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court|publisher=Scottish Courts & Tribunals | access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Government buildings completed in 1871 Category:County halls in Scotland Category:Category B listed buildings in Aberdeenshire Category:Court buildings in Scotland Category:1871 establishments in Scotland Category:Listed government buildings in Scotland Category:Italianate architecture in Scotland Category:Listed buildings in Banff, Aberdeenshire