The Court House and the Fire

On Saturday 29th July, Unlocking Warwick’s Tricia Scott led a Court House Tour for a group including a local couple and some visitors to Warwick, including one couple from Oldham and others from another historic place – Lincoln. 

They heard about the history of the Grade-1 listed Court House, constructed by the local builder and architect, Francis Smith, in 1725, after the Great Fire of Warwick had devastated the town centre. 

Tricia told how the rebuilding of the town in the style we know as Georgian, had been supervised by government commissioners who ruled there would be no more wood-framed or thatched construction. The new Warwick would have two-story brick or stone buildings with dormers in the roofs. But the houses at the central crossroads could be three-stories high and more ornate.

The Mayor and Burgesses were still using a converted tavern on the corner of Jury Street and Castle Street, so they commissioned a splendid new Town Hall/Court House in the ‘English Baroque’ style.

The guests very much enjoyed the free tour about the history of the building, and how Warwick was administered since its founding in 914.

The next Court House Tour will be on Saturday August 26th. Meet in the Visitor Information Centre ready for a 10.30am start.