County Sessions Hall : Market Place, Preston

Preston Sessions House was designed by the county architect Henry Littler and opened in 1904. The interiors of the court rooms and the public assembly area stand comparison with the Old Bailey. The exterior has a similar style to the John Balcher designed Colchester Town Hall and to Aston Webb's design for the Royal Naval College. The carving of the stone and oak in the courts, assembly areas and principal staircase is of exceptionally high quality and was carried out under the supervision of Gilbert Seale   the man responsible for much of the sculpture at the Old Bailey. The court rooms have green Minton Hollins tiled walls to door head height, oak panelling with carved surrounds and richly decorated plaster ceiling vaults with stained glass central laylights.

Reference    Manchester Guardian Saturday 10 June 1899 Page 5 (Contracts)
Reference    Building News 7 July 1899 Page 31 – contracts
Reference    British Architect 9 February 1900 page 106
Reference    Builder 17 February 1900 page 172
Reference    British Architect 24 June 1904 Page 469