A Court House for Tenants
Posted: 23 Jun 2014 19:28
Courtesy of the Liverpool Echo and written by Derek Whale
This picture shows the well of the court and the magistrates’ bench in the old Court House in West Derby Village.
It was taken in 1935 the year that the court was placed under the care and protection of the Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings and listed as an ancient monument.
Built in 1662, it served as a court for copyholders and other tenants called on to pay their dues to the lord of the manor, through his steward.
These old manorial courts were the forerunners of the county courts and courts of passage, and derived from the older feudal Wapentake courts. In addition to their function of summoning tenants of the manor to pledge of service, they also dealt with disputes among the tenants.
This court house (now 321 years old and with considerable historical links) was in danger of being demolished in 1921 when much post war development was going on in Liverpool, but action was taken to conserve it.
A group of trustees obtained the lease of the building at the nominal rent of 2s 6d a year from Lord Salisbury and in 1933 the Marquis conveyed, free of cost, his freehold reversion of the building to the City of Liverpool.
This picture shows the well of the court and the magistrates’ bench in the old Court House in West Derby Village.
It was taken in 1935 the year that the court was placed under the care and protection of the Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings and listed as an ancient monument.
Built in 1662, it served as a court for copyholders and other tenants called on to pay their dues to the lord of the manor, through his steward.
These old manorial courts were the forerunners of the county courts and courts of passage, and derived from the older feudal Wapentake courts. In addition to their function of summoning tenants of the manor to pledge of service, they also dealt with disputes among the tenants.
This court house (now 321 years old and with considerable historical links) was in danger of being demolished in 1921 when much post war development was going on in Liverpool, but action was taken to conserve it.
A group of trustees obtained the lease of the building at the nominal rent of 2s 6d a year from Lord Salisbury and in 1933 the Marquis conveyed, free of cost, his freehold reversion of the building to the City of Liverpool.