Liverpool Courthouse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liverpool Courthouse
Former court house, pictured in 2013
Location	251 Bigge Street, Liverpool, City of Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1820
Architectural style(s)	Colonial Georgian
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Liverpool Courthouse (former) and Potential Archaeological Site
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	3 November 2017
Reference no.	1999
Type	Courthouse
Category	Law Enforcement
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The Liverpool Courthouse is a very old building in Liverpool, Australia. It's located at 251 Bigge Street. This building was first built in 1820. It's special because it used to be a place where convicts lived. Later, it became a courthouse. Today, it's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means it's a very important part of history.

A Look Back at the Old Liverpool Courthouse

The story of the former Liverpool Courthouse is quite interesting. It started as a place for convicts. Convicts were people sent to Australia from Britain as a punishment. The building we see today was built around 1819 or 1820. It was specifically designed to be a convict barracks. A barracks is a building where soldiers or workers live.

Early Convict Barracks

This building is one of the earliest examples of a convict barracks in Australia. Only the Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney, built a bit earlier, is older. Because it's so old, the land around it might still hold clues. These clues could be archaeological remains. They can tell us a lot about early colonial life. They can also show us what life was like for convicts in Liverpool.

Maps and Descriptions

In 1827, a surveyor named Robert Hoddle drew a map of Liverpool. This map clearly showed the buildings on this site. In 1836, a visitor named James Backhouse described the Liverpool gaol (jail). He said it had rooms for prisoners and cells. It also had living areas for the jail staff. An 1840 map also showed these buildings.

Later, more changes were made to the site. A police station was added behind the courthouse. This police station stayed there until the mid-1900s. Experts believe there's a high chance of finding old remains. These remains would be from the barracks buildings shown on the 1827 and 1840 maps.

Liverpool's Early Days

Before British settlers arrived in 1788, the land around Liverpool belonged to the Darug Aboriginal people. The Cabrogal clan of the Darug Tribe lived in the Liverpool area.

Governor Macquarie chose the site for Liverpool town in 1810. He planned the town's layout. After Governor Macquarie left in 1821, Governor Brisbane changed how convicts were used. They started working more for private landowners. When convict transportation ended in 1840, Liverpool's economy slowed down.

The town grew again in the late 1800s. This was thanks to the railway, which arrived in 1856. More houses were built, and empty land was developed.

What the Courthouse Looks Like

The Liverpool Courthouse is a single-storey building. It's built in the Colonial Georgian style. This style was popular in Australia's early days. It has a hipped roof, which means all sides slope downwards. The building has an L-shape. This shape likely includes parts of the original convict jail from the 1820s.

It's made of sandstock bricks. These bricks were made by hand. It sits on sandstone foundations. It also has decorative sandstone blocks called quoins at the corners. There's a nice timber verandah with an iron roof. The windows have twelve small panes of glass. The doors have four panels. The original building was changed and made bigger around 1855. It used part of the old jail wall. You can still see two parts of an impressive iron fence. It has stone gate pillars.

Why the Liverpool Courthouse is Important

The former Liverpool Courthouse is very important to New South Wales' history. It shows us what life was like from 1819 for over 120 years.

Oldest Convict Barracks

This site is one of the oldest surviving convict barracks on the Australian mainland. Only Sydney's Hyde Park Barracks is likely older. The remains of the barracks behind the courthouse are very valuable. They can help researchers learn more about convicts. They also teach us about early colonial life and working-class communities. These are all big parts of Australian history.

A Key Government Centre

The courthouse shows Liverpool's important role in early colonial times. It was a key government centre during Governor Macquarie's time. The building itself served important roles. First, it was a jail. Then, it became a courthouse. It shows the history of legal services in New South Wales for over 120 years.

The Courthouse is a rare example of an early Colonial Georgian courthouse. It also has later Victorian additions. This shows how well it was designed and built. Because it started as a convict barracks and then became a courthouse, it's very unique in New South Wales.

The Liverpool Courthouse was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 3 November 2017. It met several important criteria.

Demonstrates History

The site shows how convicts helped build the town of Liverpool in its early days. The Courthouse is one of Liverpool's oldest buildings. It's probably the second oldest existing convict barracks in mainland Australia. Not many buildings in the state are this old. As a courthouse, it helped maintain law and order for 120 years.

Shows Creative Achievement

The Liverpool Courthouse is a good example of early Colonial Georgian architecture. It also has later Victorian changes. These changes show great skill in its design and building. The site is across from Bigge Park. It's also near other historic sites in Liverpool city centre. This makes it a landmark.

Potential for Information

The site has important archaeological areas. These areas can provide clues about past cultures. This information might not be found in old documents alone. Studying these remains can show how the government changed over time. This is especially true during Australia's early history.

The site might contain parts of the old jail and barracks buildings. This includes foundations, postholes, fences, and other small buildings. This information is key to understanding how the site developed. The physical remains and any objects found can help us learn more. They offer research chances in areas like convict life and colonial settlement.

Rare and Unique

The former Liverpool Courthouse is one of the oldest convict barracks left in New South Wales. Most others from that time have been destroyed. It's a great example of early 19th-century architecture. It was built during Governor Macquarie's time. It's also a reminder of Liverpool's important colonial past. It's part of a group of colonial buildings. These include St Luke's Church and the old Hospital. They all show different parts of Liverpool's convict beginnings. The potential for finding old items from this period is very rare.

Even though it was first a convict barracks, the building mainly served as a courthouse. It might be the only courthouse in New South Wales not originally designed by the Government Architect.

Represents a Type of Place

The Liverpool Courthouse is a good example of an early 19th-century jail. It was then changed to become a 19th-century courthouse. It shows the typical layout and style of both types of buildings.