Building record 7897 - Knutsford Sessions House

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 476451 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Sessions House, formerly part of gaol, the cell blocks now demolished. 1815-1818. By George Moneypenny. The main block flanked by curtain walls screening court rooms to right, and caretaker's house to left. Single storey. Main block has central portico with paired Ionic columns carrying high parapet. Pedimented lantern over. Side wings each side divided to the left by pilasters into three bays, with caretaker's house occupying the northernmost bay, beyond an arched entrance to rear. Caretaker's house has doorway to right, and tripartite window to the left, with two four-pane sash windows above. Similar screen wall to the right of the main block with raised roof of top-lit court room. three round-arched windows over segmentally-arched sashes each side of central canted bay in the rear of this range. INTERIOR: not inspected.

<2> Peter de Figueiredo (Independent Consultant), 2016, Knutsford Session House Heritage Statement (Client Report). SCH8185.

George Moneypenny was commissioned as the architect to design and construct a sessions house, grand jury room and a gaol for 150 prisoners at Knutsford. Moneypenny was an experienced designer of prisons. The design of the Sessions House was influenced by the recently built Shire Hall in Chester. There is no documentary evidence for the construction of Court 2. It has been assumed that this was also designed by Moneypenny however its style of construction indicates a late nineteenth century date. However the building is depicted on the tithe map which suggests that this court room was rebuilt or remodelled in the late nineteenth century. The prison was located to the immediate west and was demolished in 1934. The Sessions House continued to serve as a criminal court until 2010, when it was closed. In 2015 it was offered for sale, and is now in private ownership.