National Justice Museum Restoration 1 - Historical Background

In Nottingham’s historic Lace Market stands the National Justice Museum, housed within the Grade II-listed Shire Hall — a building on which we have recently carried out restoration work.

This site has long been associated with law and order, with records indicating its use for legal justice as far back as the 14th century. In 1375 it may have been known informally as Sheriff’s Hall, used by the Sheriff of Nottingham, and by 1449 gaol cells were already recorded on site.

During the period when public executions were standard practice, they took place on the front steps of Shire Hall. After their abolition in 1868, executions may have moved to the exterior yard, where a scaffold still stands today for re‑enactments (though the current example originates from Wandsworth Prison).

Following severe deterioration, the hall was rebuilt in 1769 to designs by James Gandon at a cost of around £2,500. The prison later closed in 1878 due to its poor conditions. Some of the oldest cells, carved directly into the sandstone, date back to early Saxon settlements, while the remaining gaol structures are largely Georgian. The museum also contains Victorian civil and criminal courtrooms, which remained in use until 1991.

Today, the National Justice Museum is an independent organisation dedicated to the history of British criminal justice. It is recognised by Arts Council England as an outstanding cultural and heritage institution.

To learn more, follow @JusticeMuseum on Twitter and Instagram, find the National Justice Museum on Facebook or LinkedIn, or visit their website at www.nationaljusticemuseum.org.uk

Discover the next stage of our restoration of this historic building in Part 2.