Royal Courts of Justice

The West End

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Where the Strand joins Fleet St, you’ll see the entrance to this gargantuan melange of Gothic spires, pinnacles and burnished Portland stone, built in 1874. It is a public building and you’re allowed to sit in on court proceedings; the daily 'cause list' of cases to be heard is both on the website and posted on signboards in the reception of the Great Hall.

The building was designed by aspiring cathedral builder GE Street; see his statue in the Great Hall. Apparently the job took so much out of him that he died of a stroke shortly before its completion. The statues at the top represent Christ in Majesty, King Solomon and King Alfred the Great. You can also enter the building from the northern side on Carey St, which offers better views of the awesome interior.

Transportation

  • underground: Temple

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Nearby The West End attractions

1. St Clement Danes

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Christopher Wren designed the original church here in 1682, but only the walls and a steeple added by James Gibbs in 1719 survived bombing in 1941; the…

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From the Strand, look for a studded black door labelled ‘Middle Temple Lane’, opposite Bell Yard and the Royal Courts building, and you’ll find yourself…

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Duck under the archway at Old Mitre Court (47 Fleet St) and you’ll find yourself in the Inner Temple, a sprawling complex of some of the finest buildings…

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