Royal Courts of Justice

The Royal Courts of Justice stands on the Strand in Westminster, a vast grey-stone building in Victorian Gothic style. Designed by George Edmund Street, it opened in 1882 after eight years of construction. The High Court and Court of Appeal of England and Wales sit here, making it one of Europe’s largest court complexes. A Grade I listed structure, it replaced cramped quarters in Westminster Hall. Edwin Wilkins Field organised the site purchase and building act that cleared 450 houses. A statue of Field greets visitors inside the entrance. The building’s architecture reflects English legal tradition through its statues of Jesus, Moses, Solomon and Alfred the Great. Nikolaus Pevsner praised its free composition, while others noted its High Victorian influences. The Great Hall runs north–south, with courts arranged off it and offices around a courtyard. A bust of Queen Victoria by Alfred Gilbert overlooks the hall. The Strand frontage features a tall clock tower with five bells weighing over eight tonnes. Visitors find the Great Hall’s oak fittings and rose window striking. The eastern courtyard holds staff offices, and the West Green extension adds further courtrooms. Nearby stand St Clement Danes church and the Inns of Court. The nearest tube stations are Chancery Lane and Temple. A Banksy mural once appeared here before removal during the pandemic.