# / . 4 % 8 4 - ! 9 "OOK REVIEWS .O MORE THAN JUSTICE 3ILENCE IN #OURT THE FUTURE OF THE 5+ S HISTORIC LAW COURTS -ARCUS "INNEY 3!6% "RITAIN S (ERITAGE PAPERBACK PP B W ILLUSTRATIONS )3". a 4HIS REPORT CONTINUES IN THE BEST CAMPAIGNING TRADITIONS OF 3!6% SPOTLIGHTING A THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR BUILDING TYPE BUT ONE ABOUT WHICH SURPRISINGLY LITTLE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED )T INCREASED THE FUNDING TO BRIDGE THE GAP TO A NEW REPLACEMENT 4HIS IS A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO CONSERVATION LITERATURE )T FILLS A SIGNIFICANT GAP IN OUR UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THIS IMPORTANT BUILDING TYPE )T IS TO BE HOPED THAT THE ANALYSIS AND ADVOCACY WILL PROMPT RECONSIDERATION OF THE POLICY OF CLOSURES "OB +INDRED -"% 0HILOSOPHY WITH PASSION "UILDING #ONSERVATION 0HILOSOPHY *OHN %ARL THIRD EDITION $ONHEAD HARDBACK PP B W ILLUSTRATIONS )3". 8 a -EMBERSHIP OF THE )("# REQUIRES COMPETENCE IN EIGHT KEY AREAS BASED ON SKILLS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE 4HE FOREMOST OF THESE IS TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE APPRECIATION OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF CONSERVATION BASED ON THE SOCIAL CULTURAL POLITICAL AESTHETIC ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES UNDERPINNING CURRENT CONSERVATION POLICY AND PRACTICE WHILE BEING CONVERSANT WITH CURRENTLY PREVAILING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRINCIPLES AND PHILOSOPHIES INCLUDING GUIDELINES ADOPTED BY )#/-/3 "3) AND OTHER RECOGNISED BODIES 4HIS APPEARS TO BE A PRETTY TALL ORDER 4HE TASK HAS BEEN MADE CONSIDERABLY EASIER BY *OHN %ARL S ESSENTIAL AND IMMENSELY READABLE TEXT BACKED UP BY WELL CHOSEN AND WISELY CAPTIONED CONTEXTUAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND INTERSPERSED WITH MEMORABLE AND INSTRUCTIVE QUOTATIONS 4HIS BOOK PERHAPS WITH *OHN $ELAFONS 0OLITICS AND 0RESERVATION n GIVING THE COMPLEMENTARY STRAND OF EXPLAINING THE MINDS OF THE LEGISLATORS n PROVIDES BETWEEN THEM AS GOOD AN OVERVIEW OF THE VALUES UNDERPINNING THE SYSTEM AS WE COULD HOPE FOR .OW WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF %ARL S SUBSTANTIALLY REVISED AND EXPANDED THIRD EDITION WHICH APPEARS AT THE MOMENT WHEN THE WHOLE BASIS OF THE PROTECTION OF THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT IS UNDER FUNDAMENTAL REVIEW AND WHERE A SOUND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS HAS ADDED SIGNIFICANCE 4HE TEXT IS FAR FROM DRY 4HE PASSION FOR THE SUBJECT IS PERSUASIVELY COMMUNICATED BUILDING ON THE BRINGS TOGETHER FAILINGS OF PUBLIC POLICY WHICH HAVE LED TO NEGLECT AND DECAY MIXED WITH GLIMPSES OF SALVATION -ARCUS "INNEY HAS BEEN ABLE TO ELICIT THE CO OPERATION OF KEY FIGURES OF THE "RITISH LEGAL ESTABLISHMENT AND TO PRESENT 2ICHARD 0OLLARD S SURVEY AND PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS OF COURT INTERIORS TO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THAT LAW COURTS CONSTITUTE ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE AND BEST PRESERVED GROUPS OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN THE 5NITED +INGDOM 7HILE THE INNATE CONSERVATISM OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION HAS ALLOWED MANY COURTS TO REMAIN LARGELY UNALTERED REORGANISATION OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST DECADE HAS LED TO MANY CLOSURES OF LISTED HISTORIC BUILDINGS WITH MORE STILL TO COME OR THREATENED "INNEY ARGUES PERSUASIVELY THAT NO MORE SHOULD BE LOST AND BEMOANS THE INFLUENCE OF THE 0RIVATE &INANCE )NITIATIVE 0&) ON REPLACEMENTS 4HE REPORT IS TIMELY IN SHOWING WHY COURTS NEED TO BE CAMPAIGNED FOR ! HELPFUL INTRODUCTORY OVERVIEW EXPLAINS THE ISSUES DRIVING THE MODERNISATION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF REDUNDANCY REFURBISHMENT AND REUSE 4HE DIFFERENT APPROACH IN 3COTLAND AND THE CONSEQUENTLY DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL EXPRESSION AND THE PARTICULAR POLITICAL PROBLEMS POSED IN .ORTHERN )RELAND ARE ALSO EXAMINED #OURTS ARE CENTRAL TO THE FABRIC OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND WERE PROVIDED AT PUBLIC EXPENSE 4HEY SHOULD NOT BE CASUALLY OR UNCARINGLY ABANDONED AND THE BEST USE FOR THEM IS THEIR ORIGINAL INTENDED PURPOSE WHICH CAN CONTINUE IF ADAPTED IMAGINATIVELY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE JUDICIAL NEEDS "INNEY ARGUES THAT WHERE THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE NEW USES SHOULD RESPECT THE CHARACTER OF THE BUILDINGS AND THE QUALITY OF THE INTERIORS #LARE 'RAHAM GIVES A SUCCINCT HISTORY OF LAW COURT ARCHITECTURE IN %NGLAND AND7ALES AND EXPLAINS HOW THE VARIOUS BUILDING TYPES DEVELOPED !RCHITECT *IM 3TEVENSON SHOWS HOW CONSERVATION CAN BE PROGRESSED HAND IN HAND WITH MODERN JUSTICE IN HISTORIC SETTINGS WITH -INSULL 3TREET -ANCHESTER AND !YR 3HERIFF #OURT AS EXAMPLES 7HAT FOLLOWS ARE OR SO BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED EXAMPLES OF COURTS FROM THROUGHOUT THE 5+ 3OME STILL OPERATE WELL BUT MOST OTHERS ARE EITHER PROVIDING AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FUNCTION OR ARE VACANT AND FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE 4HE RANGE IS ASTONISHING n FROM THE MASSIVE GRANDEUR OF 7EBB AND "ELL S 'RADE ) 6ICTORIA ,AW #OURTS "IRMINGHAM STILL VERY MUCH IN USE TO THE 'RADE )) 0RESTEIGN 3HIRE (ALL 4HIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST REMARKABLE SURVIVAL OF ALL 5+ COURT BUILDINGS !LTHOUGH IT CLOSED IN PER CENT OF THE ORIGINAL FURNISHINGS SURVIVED INCLUDING THE DINNER SERVICES WHICH THE CARETAKER CAREFULLY STORED IN HER ATTIC AFTER THE LAST !SSIZES ROSE 4HE BUILDING IS NOW A HIGHLY EVOCATIVE MUSEUM 3OME CASES ARE THE SUBJECT OF RECENT BATTLES SUCH AS $ERBY WHERE THE CONSORTIA ASSEMBLED UNDER THE 0RIVATE &INANCE )NITIATIVE SHOWED NO INTEREST IN REFURBISHING THE 'RADE ) 3HIRE (ALL (ERE THE #OURT 3ERVICE HALTED THE 0&) BIDDING PROCESS TO REQUIRE RECONSIDERATION OF THE BUILDING AS A MANDATORY VARIANT OF THE CONTRACT AND
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