Preston (The Sessions House) County Court

The Sessions House in Preston, Lancashire, located on Harris Street, serves both judicial functions and as administrative offices for His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. This Grade II* listed building was inaugurated in 1904 to replace the older courthouse on Stanley Street. Designed by Henry Littler in the Edwardian Baroque style and built with Longridge stone, the courthouse cost approximately £90,000, roughly equivalent to over £9 million today. The building’s striking design features a symmetrical façade with a central balcony and a towering four-stage structure, making it one of Preston’s tallest buildings at nearly 55 metres. The Sessions House has been the venue for notable trials, including those of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson in 1993, and Harold Shipman in 2000. It houses two main courtrooms on the first floor used by Preston Crown Court, alongside two smaller courtrooms for the County Court and Family Court.