History
"Blofield Court House: A Historic Gem and Vibrant Community Hub"
The Blofield Court House, located at 28 Yarmouth Road, Blofield, Norfolk, NR13 4JU, is a Grade II listed building with a rich history and vibrant community role. Below is a comprehensive overview of its history, architecture, current use, and notable events, including specific dates where available.
Construction and Opening (1905–1906)
The Blofield Court House was built in 1905 to serve as a courthouse for the Blofield Petty Sessional Division, prompted by a legal change prohibiting courts from operating on licensed premises, such as the Globe public house where Petty Sessions were previously held every alternate Monday for about a century. The courthouse was designed by County Surveyor T.B.H. Heslop and constructed by Thomas Gill of Norwich. It was officially opened on February 26, 1906, as reported by the Eastern Evening News. The opening ceremony highlighted its modern design and its replacement of the inadequate room at the Globe Inn. The first court session included cases like Walter Carter fined for obscene language and Robert Ling for riding a tumbril without reins
Judicial Role (1905–1972)
The courthouse served as a venue for Petty Sessions, handling minor offenses, while more serious cases were referred to Quarter Sessions or the Assizes. This system continued until 1972, when the Courts Act of 1971 abolished Petty and Quarter Sessions, replacing them with a single permanent Crown Court.
Grade II Listing (2006)
The building was designated a Grade II listed building in 2006 by Historic England, recognizing its architectural and historical significance as a rare, intact rural courthouse separate from a police station
The Court House was built in 1905 when Blofield was an important centre for the Local District Council following a change in the law that decreed that courts could no longer be held on licenced premises. Prior to this the Globe public house
also in the Yarmouth Road(demolished 1999) was the site of the Petty Sessions held every alternate Monday for around a hundred years.
Periodic criminal courts were held around England and Wales until 1972, when together with the Quarter Sessions they were abolished by the Courts Act (1971) and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court. The Assizes heard the most serious cases, which were committed to it by the Quarter Sessions (local county courts held four times a year), while the more minor offences were dealt with summarily by Justices of the Peace in petty sessions (also known as Magistrates’ Courts).
The following articles from the Eastern Evening News of Monday February 26th 1906
describe the opening ceremony of the Court House and the first day's cases. The Court House is grateful to St. John Pilkington, former archivist of the Justices' Clerks' Society for providing us with this invaluable document.
NEW COURT-HOUSE AT BLOFIELD. TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY
The Blofield Petty Sessional Division of the County has for the past one hundred years possessed the rare distinction of holding its Court on licensed premises in a room kindly placed at the disposal of the magistrates by the brewers. The room has for some time past been considered inadequate as a court for such an important division of the county. About two years since a plot of land was secured with a frontage to the main road leading from Norwich to Acle, and at a spot situated a little to the Acle side of the Globe Inn, where the court has been previously held.
On that spot an up-to-date Court House has now been erected of red brick and white stone. The building itself is an attractive one, and does credit to the builders and others who base been engaged upon its erection. Everything inside and out is of a modern character, and at the side of the Court House stands a commodious house which will be occupied by the police-officer in charge of the village. The court itself is spacious, and apart from ample accommodation for a large bench of magistrates there is plenty of space for the officials, the officers of the court, and the public. There is also a large room for the magistrates to hold private consultations, a room for solicitors to consult their clients, a waiting room for witnesses and a public waiting room. In the passage connecting these rooms there is a dado of blue bricks with dark red skirting. Lavatory accommodation is also provided. Adjoining the court house are large cells. The whole premises are splendidly furnished and equipped with modern heating and lighting apparatus.
The County Surveyor, Mr. T. B. H. Heslop, was the architect; Mr. T. Gill of Rupert Street, Norwich, builder; Mr. W. Crotch of Magdalen Road, Norwich, plasterer; Messrs C. Payne & Co., Redwell Street, Norwich, fitted in the heating apparatus; Mr. E. Potter of Chapel Field Road, Norwich, was responsible for the stone work; and Messrs. Turner, Darner & Wright of Norwich were the furnishers.
Today the Court-house was formally opened in the presence of the following magistrates, - Mr G. W. Danby Palmer Kerrison (chairman), Major D. G. Astley, Major F. A. Cubitt, Lieutenant-Colonel H. H. Gilbert, Messrs. W. Harker. J. H. Stedman, R. H. Gillett, John Cator, W. J. O. Holmes and H. R Burroughes. When the magistrates took their places on the Bench, the Clerk (Mr W. Pollard) congratulated them upon entering their new quarters, which were a marked change to the old Court at the Globe, where for a hundred years the magistrates had been sitting. He gave the magistrates particulars concerning the firms which had been engaged in the work, and concluded by hoping that the magistrates would be spared many years to attend the Court.
The Chairman expressed the pleasure it gave the magistrates in attending the new Courthouse which he thought would be found more comfortable than the old room in which it had been their custom to hold the Court for so long a period. He extended the magistrates' thanks to the tenants and owners of the Globe for the use of the room for so many years. He then declared the new Courthouse open. Mr. W. J. O. Holmes said as that was the maiden session he had hoped that the Clerk would have been in a position to present the Chairman with a pair of white gloves. He was sorry that such was not the case.*
TODAY'S BLOFIELD POLICE COURT (before Mr. G. W. Danby Palmer Kerrison (chairman) and other magistrates.)
BAD LANGUAGE
Walter Carter, labourer, of Norwich, was summoned for using obscene language at Little Plumstead on January 29tb. The case having been proved defendant was fined 10 shillings and 9 shillings costs.
NO REINS
Robert Ling, 21, labourer, was summoned for riding on a tumbril ** without reins at Blofield on February 17th. and fined 5 shillings.
PIGEONS NOT GAME
Wm. Rose, labourer, of Blofield, was summoned for trespassing in pursuit of game on land in the occupation of Mr. G. R. Bagshaw, a farmer, at Blofield, on February 6th. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor said about quarter to four on the afternoon in question he was walking across one of his meadows, when he saw the defendant in the adjoining field carrying a gun. A little later he heard the report of a gun, and saw two pigeons drop. He spoke to the defendant, who asked him not to take any notice of it. Prosecutor denied that he had authorised the defendant to frighten the birds off the wheat. Defendant said Mr. Bagshaw had instructed him to frighten the rooks off the wheat. He shot two pigeons and did not think he was doing any harm. The, magistrate dismissed the case on the ground that pigeons are not game.
STORY OF A GOLD RING
John Howlett. tramping blacksmith, was charged with stealing a Lady's gold ring, value15 shillings, the property of Arabella Whatley, of Postwick, on February 13th. Prosecutors said on the morning in question she was washing her linen when her gold keeper ring fell from her finger into the tub of water. She took it out and placed it on a bracket attached to the kitchen wall. Some time later, when she was returning to the house after hanging out the linen, she saw the prisoner, who was coming from the direction of the kitchen door. He asked her if she had any rabbit skins for sale, and then walked off. She missed her ring when she went into the kitchen.
She gave information and Mrs. Powell subsequently handed the ring to her. Complainant's sister-in-law deposed to stopping the prisoner on the highway at Thorpe. She accused prisoner of the theft, and subsequently he handed her the ring, saying, “I found it on the doorstep, and thought it was a brass one." She gave the ring to Mrs Powell to hand to her sister-in-law. Subsequently she handed the prisoner over to the custody of Police-Sergeant Yaxley. The officer gave evidence stating that when the prisoner was charged, he still adhered to his statement that he found the ring on the doorstep. Prisoner, when formally charged, said he picked the ring up and gave it up. He was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions.
She gave information and Mrs. Powell subsequently handed the ring to her. Complainant's sister-in-law deposed to stopping the prisoner on the highway at Thorpe. She accused prisoner of the theft, and subsequently he handed her the ring, saying, “I found it on the doorstep, and thought it was a brass one." She gave the ring to Mrs Powell to hand to her sister-in-law. Subsequently she handed the prisoner over to the custody of Police-Sergeant Yaxley. The officer gave evidence stating that when the prisoner was charged, he still adhered to his statement that he found the ring on the doorstep. Prisoner, when formally charged, said he picked the ring up and gave it up. He was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions.
SCHOOL CASES
Walter Horner, of North Burlingham. was summoned in respect of his three children , Ernest, Kate, and Frank, for their irregular attendance at the Lingwood and Burlingham schools. Defendant was fined 4 shillings. in each case.
* Explained by St. John Pilkington – “The significance of the white gloves at the end of the first article is that it was the practice, if there was no business to put before the court at a scheduled sitting, of the Justices' Clerk to present the chairman with a pair of white gloves (signifying the 'purity' of the division apparently)”.
** A tumbril was a 2 wheeled tipping farmers cart.
* Explained by St. John Pilkington – “The significance of the white gloves at the end of the first article is that it was the practice, if there was no business to put before the court at a scheduled sitting, of the Justices' Clerk to present the chairman with a pair of white gloves (signifying the 'purity' of the division apparently)”.
** A tumbril was a 2 wheeled tipping farmers cart.
The images below are of information boards that tell the history of the Court House. They were created when we opened the Court House for the Norfolk Heritage Open Day in 2016. They are now displayed in the main corridor at the Court House.
Click on each image to display full size.
