Justice. Does that word resonate as you stand before the imposing façade of the Central Criminal Court? Known more familiarly as the Old Bailey, this courthouse stands as a powerful symbol of English law. It has stood here for centuries.
The Old Bailey’s story begins long ago. It was the sessions house for London’s Lord Mayor and Sheriffs. The court also held trials like the traveling Courts of Assize. The first mention of the medieval court dates back to 1585. It sat beside Newgate Prison.
Disaster struck in 1666. The Great Fire of London destroyed the court. It was rebuilt in 1674. The rebuilt court was open to the weather. People believed this would prevent the spread of disease.
In 1734, the building was re-fronted. This enclosed the court and reduced spectator influence. Unfortunately, this led to typhus outbreaks. In 1750, sixty people died including the Lord Mayor and two judges. The Old Bailey was rebuilt again in 1774. A second courtroom was added in 1824.
Over 100000 criminal trials took place here between 1674 and 1834. In 1834, it was renamed the Central Criminal Court. Before this, it was called the Assize Court for London.
Originally, the Old Bailey tried crimes from the City and Middlesex. But, a public outcry changed this. Doctor William Palmer was accused of poisoning. People feared he couldn’t get a fair trial in Staffordshire. The Central Criminal Court Act of 1856 allowed his trial to be held here.
The Old Bailey and Newgate Prison were neighbors. Hangings were public events outside until 1868. Condemned prisoners walked along Dead Man’s Walk. Many were even buried there. Crowds gathered to watch. Some threw rotten fruit and stones.
The current Old Bailey building dates from 1902. King Edward VII officially opened it in 1907. E. W. Mountford designed it on the site of the demolished prison. Above the entrance, a message reads: “Defend the Children of the Poor & Punish the Wrongdoer”.
Lady Justice stands on the dome. F. W. Pomeroy sculpted this bronze statue. She holds a sword and scales. She is not blindfolded. The courthouse says her “maidenly form” guarantees impartiality.
During the Blitz, bombs damaged the Old Bailey. Reconstruction restored most of it by the 1950s. The Grand Hall reopened in 1952. Paintings inside commemorate the Blitz. Axioms run around the hall. One reads: “The law of the wise is a fountain of life.”
A car bomb exploded outside in 1973. The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was responsible. One person died and 200 were injured. A piece of glass remains embedded in the stairs as a reminder.
The Old Bailey has appeared in films and literature. It features in “V for Vendetta” and Agatha Christie’s “Witness for the Prosecution.”
Until 2017, the court manager was called the Secondary of the City of London. His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service manages the courts. The City of London Corporation owns the building.
All judges are addressed as “My Lord” or “My Lady”. The Lord Mayor and aldermen can sit on the judges’ bench. The most senior judge is called the Recorder of London.
The Old Bailey remains part of London’s judicial system. The Recorder and Common Serjeant are city officers. The sheriffs and Lord Mayor are justices here.