Judges' Lodgings, Lancaster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Judges' Lodgings, Lancaster |
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Entrance front of the Judges' Lodgings
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| Location | Castle Hill/Church Street, Lancaster, Lancashire, England |
| Restored by | SD 475 619 |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 22 December 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1298414 |
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The Judges' Lodgings is a very old building in Lancaster, England. It used to be a fancy house and is now a museum. This building is the oldest house still standing in Lancaster. It was also the first house in the town to have window shutters! For many years, important judges stayed here when they visited Lancaster for court cases.
The judges stopped using the house in 1975. After that, it became a museum. Inside, you can find a special museum about childhood and a collection of amazing furniture made by a famous company called Gillows. The museum faced some challenges and was closed for a while. But in 2018, it was announced that it would reopen to the public.
History of the Judges' Lodgings
What was here before?
There's proof that even older buildings stood on this spot. People found parts of a Roman pot-making oven in the garden. The first house here was probably made of wood. Later, a stone house was built. Some parts of the current house are from the 1550s. For example, there's a huge stone fireplace in the entrance hall from that time.
The current building's story
The main part of the Judges' Lodgings was built around 1625. It might have used parts from earlier buildings. By 1639, a man named Thomas Covell owned the house. He was the Mayor of Lancaster and looked after Lancaster Castle. This house was known as the "Old Hall" of Lancaster.
For a long time, judges stayed here when they came to hear court cases at Lancaster Castle. Records show judges were using the house as early as 1635. During the English Civil War in 1643, Lancaster was damaged. Around 1662, Thomas Cole bought the property. He added to the building in 1675, and it was then called "New Hall."
In 1826, the house was sold to the county's magistrates (local officials). They added more parts to the building and made other changes. Judges continued to stay here until 1975. After that, the building was turned into the museum we see today. It includes a fun Museum of Childhood and a large collection of furniture from the famous Gillows company.
Recent challenges and reopening
In 2015, the local council faced money problems. They suggested closing five museums in Lancashire, including the Judges' Lodgings. Many people protested, and an online petition was started. The closure was delayed a few times.
The museum eventually closed on September 30, 2016. However, a group of people called "Friends of the Judges' Lodgings" worked hard to help. In April 2018, the council announced that the museum would reopen for parts of 2018 and 2019.
The museum today
In March 2019, the Lancaster Judges' Lodgings officially reopened. It is now run by a mix of paid staff and volunteers. Many visitors came to see the museum again. There were lots of events planned for 2020.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays. The museum had to postpone its opening until late August 2020. It reopened on August 28, 2020, but visitors had to book their visits in advance.
Building design
The Judges' Lodgings is built from sandstone (a type of rock) with slate roofs. It has a U-shape. The front of the building faces west and looks balanced. It has three floors and a basement. The style of the building is called Georgian. The main doorway has special Tuscan columns. These columns support blocks with carved lion heads. Above that is a decorative band with flowers and a curved top section. This top part holds a painting of the coat of arms for Lancashire.
Museum collections
Gillows Furniture collection
The museum has a huge collection of Gillows furniture. Some pieces are shown in rooms decorated like they would have been long ago. Other pieces are part of a special display about the Gillows company itself.
Robert Gillow started making furniture around 1727. This was even before another famous furniture maker, Thomas Chippendale. Gillows made furniture for wealthy families. Robert's sons took over the business. Richard managed the workshop in Lancaster, and Robert opened a showroom in London. It was rare for a company outside London to have a London showroom!
The Gillow family sold the company in 1813, but the new owners kept the name Gillow & Co. Gillows furniture was so famous that it was even mentioned in books by authors like Jane Austen.
Much of the furniture at the Judges' Lodgings was made for specific customers. Gillows kept detailed "Estimate Sketch Books" with their designs. They made their own designs but also built furniture for other designers. They even worked for famous designers like Chippendale and Sheraton.
In the 1760s, Gillows started making billiard tables. They are also known for inventing the "telescopic" (extendable) dining table and building the first Davenport desk.
By 1900, the company offered a full interior design service. This was expensive, and another company, Waring of Liverpool, took over in 1903. The new company, Waring & Gillow, continued but wasn't as famous for quality. They closed in 1962, and the Lancaster workshops shut down. During wartime, Gillows even helped build parts for airplanes like the Mosquito!
Bruce James Talbert's designs
In the 1860s and 1870s, Gillows worked with a designer named Bruce James Talbert. He was known for his Gothic Revivalist style. Gillows made many furniture pieces based on Talbert's designs. Two of his sideboards from around 1872 are on display at the Judges' Lodgings.
Talbert wrote a book in 1867 about applying Gothic styles to furniture. His ideas were very important for furniture making. He suggested using strong frames, decorative inlays, and carvings. His designs were shown at big international exhibitions. They were often very detailed, with bold patterns, carved squares, and rows of small spindles. Some pieces even had carved verses with a moral message.
The "Dundee Cabinet" at the Judges' Lodgings is a great example of Talbert's work for Gillows. It's made of stained wood with inlaid patterns. Another sideboard in the museum's butler's pantry is made of oak with boxwood panels.
Paintings on display
English Paintings
The museum also displays some important paintings by George Romney. Romney was born in Lancashire. He moved to London but stayed in touch with his home county. He painted many local wealthy people and even bought picture frames from Gillows.
A painting of Abraham Rawlinson, who was a Member of Parliament for Lancaster in the 1780s, hangs in the entrance hall. The museum bought it in 2006. There are also portraits by Joseph Wright of Derby and Sir Thomas Lawrence.
French paintings
There is a small collection of six French paintings. These were given to the museum by Lionel Hewlett. The collection includes two landscapes by the Impressionist artist Armand Guillaumin. One painting shows the river Creuse, and another shows the Île de Ré. You can see how his friend Van Gogh influenced his work.
Museum of Childhood
The Museum of Childhood has fun displays. You can see a recreated nursery with a huge three-seater rocking horse. There's also a classroom set up like it would have been long ago. A big part of the collection is the Barry Elder collection of dolls. It includes many different types of dolls, like peg dolls, wax dolls, and porcelain dolls. In the display cases, you can also spot doll's houses, Lego, Meccano, and some Hornby model trains.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Lancaster, Lancashire
