View source for Moot Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Historic Site
| name =Moot Hall
| native_name =
| image =Moot Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1342270.jpg
| caption =
| locmapin =Tyne and Wear
| map_caption =
| coordinates ={{coord|54.96880|N|1.60932|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location = Castle Garth, [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] NE1 1RQ
| area =
| built =1812
| architect =John Stokoe
| architecture =[[Greek Revival architecture|Greek Revival style]]
| governing_body =
| designation1 =Grade I Listed Building
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date = 17 December 1971
| designation1_number =1116297
}}
The '''Moot Hall''' is a former courthouse at Castle Garth in [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], England. The structure, which overlooks the [[Tyne Bridge]], is a Grade I [[listed building]].<ref name=listed>{{NHLE|num=1116297|desc=Moot Hall|accessdate=29 April 2018}}</ref>
==History==
The building was commissioned as a courthouse to replace the facilities at [[The Castle, Newcastle|the Castle]] which were used for holding [[assizes]] and which had been condemned for their inconvenience and unhealthiness.<ref name=bh>{{cite web|first=Eneas|last= Mackenzie|title='Public buildings: The county courts', in Historical Account of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Including the Borough of Gateshead |location=Newcastle-upon-Tyne|year=1827|pages=224–229|publisher=British History Online|url= http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/newcastle-historical-account/pp224-229 |access-date= 29 April 2018}}</ref> The site selected had formed part of [[Pons Aelius]] in Roman times and two copper coins from the time of the Emperor [[Antoninus Pius]] and two Roman altars were found during preparatory work on site.<ref name=bh/>
The foundation stone for the new building was laid by [[Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland|Earl Percy]] on 22 July 1810.<ref name=bh/> It was designed by John Stokoe in the [[Greek Revival architecture|Greek Revival style]] and completed in August 1812.<ref name=bh/> The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of eleven bays facing north west with the end bays slightly projected forwards; the central section of three bays featured an [[tetrastyle]] portico with [[Doric order]] columns supporting a [[pediment]].<ref name=listed/> Internally, the principal rooms were the Grand Jury room (straight ahead from the entrance), the [[nisi prius]] court (on the left) and the crown court (on the right).<ref name=bh/> A significant number of cells for prisoners were created in the basement.<ref name=bh/> Alterations were carried out to a design by William Crozier, Durham County Architect, in 1877.<ref name=listed/>
The building continued to be used as the county facility for dispensing justice but, following the implementation of the [[Local Government Act 1888]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/51-52/41/enacted|title=Local Government Act 1888|publisher=Legislation.gov.uk|access-date=17 August 2019}}</ref> which established county councils in every county, the building was also used as a meeting place for [[Northumberland County Council]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1902-Northumberland-County-Council-The-Moothall-Newcastle-Upon-Tyne-Letter/174118514913?|year=1902 |title=Letter from Northumberland County Council, The Moothall, Newcastle Upon Tyne|access-date=18 October 2020}}</ref> until it moved to [[County Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne|County Hall]] in 1910.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/vision-grand-entrance-city-newcastle-15746919|title=Vision of the grand entrance to the city which Newcastle is still waiting for|date=30 January 2019|publisher=Chronicle Live|access-date=14 November 2020}}</ref>
An inquiry in to the loss of [[SS Ina Mactavish|SS ''Ina Mactavish'']] was held at the Moot Hall in December 1907 and February 1908.<ref name=PPA>{{Cite journal| last = Leonard| first = Alan| title = The Wreck of SS ''Ina Mactavish''| journal =  Picture Postcard Annual| pages =12–13| year = 2008}}</ref> The trial of the then 11 year old [[Mary Bell]] for the murder of two young boys took place at Newcastle Assizes in 1968.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/17/newsid_3261000/3261087.stm|title=Mary Bell found guilty of double killing|work=BBC News|access-date=17 July 2018}}</ref> Other notorious court cases held at the Moot Hall included the trial of [[Robert Black (serial killer)|Robert Black]] for the murder of four young girls committed between 1981 and 1986<ref>{{cite news|last=Pithers |first=Malcolm |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/killing-of-girls-every-parents-nightmare-man-denies-abduction-and-murder-of-three-young-girls-in-1369851.html|title=Killing of girls 'every parent's nightmare': Man denies abduction and murder of three young girls in 'Midlands triangle'|date=13 April 1994|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref> and the trial of Albert Dryden for the [[murder of Harry Collinson]] in June 1991.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oU97CAAAQBAJ&q=Albert+Dryden+moot+hall+newcastle&pg=PT142|title=Death on a Summer's Day - The True Story of the Murder Britain Watched on Live Television|first=David |last=Blackie|publisher=John Blake Publishing|year=2006|isbn=978-1844541904}}</ref> The Moot Hall heard all Crown Court cases before the [[Newcastle Law Courts|new combined court complex]] was completed on the [[Quayside]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|date=28 March 2021|title=Law Courts, Newcastle upon Tyne|url=https://manchesterhistory.net/architecture/1990/crowncourt.html|access-date=28 March 2021|website=Manchester History|publisher=}}</ref>
==Post court use==
After becoming licensed as a venue for civil weddings, the Moot Hall hosted its first civil wedding in September 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4276786.stm|title=Newlyweds agree to life sentence|newspaper=BBC|date= 23 September 2005|access-date=29 April 2018}}</ref>
In March 2019 [[Her Majesty's Courts Service]] decided that the building was surplus to requirements and instructed estate agents [[Avison Young]] to market it for sale.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/business-news/chance-buy-one-newcastles-most-16001765|title=Chance to buy one of Newcastle's most prominent buildings as Moot Hall goes up for sale|date=20 March 2019|publisher=Chronicle Live|access-date=14 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avisonyoung.co.uk/properties/-/property/detail-gva+14832|title=Historic Grade I Listed Court Building|publisher=Avison Young|access-date=18 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/north-east/historic-newcastle-courthouse-hits-the-market|title=Historic Newcastle courthouse hits the market|publisher=Insider Media|date=20 March 2019|access-date=14 November 2020}}</ref> It was announced in October 2019 that the building had been acquired by the property business, Gainford Group, which also owned the [[County Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne|Vermont Hotel]], located immediately to the north of the Moot Hall.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/gainford-group-revealed-new-owners-17139671|title=Gainford Group revealed as new owners of historic Moot Hall in Newcastle|date=24 October 2019|publisher=Chronicle Live|access-date=14 November 2020}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Newcastle upon Tyne]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1812]]