Law Court Sculptures - High Street, Lewes, UK
N 50° 52.381 E 000° 00.604
31U E 289645 N 5639963
The Law Courts stand on the north west side of Lewes High Street. On the second floor level, above the central first floor windows, there are three sculptures set into recesses.
Waymark Code: WMT460
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/22/2016
Views: 1
The three sculptures depict, from left to right, "Mercy", "Wisdom" and "Justice". The sculptures are made from Coade stone and were designed by someone named John Johnson.
The characters in the sculptures are estimated to be half life-size.
The "Mercy" sculpture depicts a lady sat in a chair reaching out to a child seated on the ground.
The "Wisdom" sculpture sows a lady, possibly Britannia, sitting in a chair with a shield and spear in her left hand and a child on the right side. The child is holding and offering what appears to be a scroll to the seated lady.
The "Justice" sculpture shows a seated lady holding the scales of justice in her left hand and a sword in her right hand. The sword hovers above a child who is holding an opened scroll on which is written "The Law".
The Law Courts are Grade II* listed with the entry at the English Heritage website advising:
County Hall, now law courts. 1808-1812 by John Johnson, extended and converted into courts in later C19. Portland stone with slate roof.
Main block framed by slightly projecting wings with recessed wing to right. 2 storeys with mezzanine over first floor. Tall plinth to rusticated ground floor. Deep platband over ground floor. Bracketted cornice to roof with central dormer masked by frame carrying Royal Arms. 7 windows in 1 - 3 - 1 - 2 rhythm, the two bays to the right a later C19 extension in similar style but set back from the main front. Casement windows in outer bays of main block on 2nd floor, in raised and moulded square surrounds.
Three panels in centre with Coade stone plaques of Wisdom, Justice and Mercy, designed by Johnson.
Tall transom and mullion wood-framed windows on first floors in raised and moulded surrounds, those in outer bays with triangular pediments, those in the central 3 bays with cornice hoods on small brackets over entablatures with rosette decoration. Blank balustraded panels in platband under first floor windows. Single glazing bar sashes with rusticated gauged heads in outer bays. 5 bay Doric columnar screen on ground floor of recess, the-central 3 bays recessed behind, the outer built forward to screen with rusticated walling and single glazing bar sashes on each side. 3 arched doorways to rear in centre with doubled half-glazed doors and large radiating fanlights, separated by attached half- columns.
Iron spearhead gates to the 3 bays of the screen. Steps up to screen from street and also to the doorways behind. Large square glazed lantern hanging from central intercolumniation of screen.
Interior: Hall; 2 large Doric columns supporting entablature acting as screen. Staircase behind hall; single flight stair with cast-iron baluster and wooden rail. Court rooms Nos 1 & 2: basically identical. Mid - late C19 interiors top-lit with coved ceilings and large rectangular area above, all with Italianate decoration. Gallery with balustrade on deep volute brackets. French-influenced back to bench with coved hood to Judge's seat.