Description
William Robertson, 1838-9. Scottish Baronial. Finely stugged
ashlar, rubble to Tolbooth Street; tooled ashlar dressings.
3-storey courthouse, with imposing 3-stage tower and belfry
much resembling its predecessor. Entrance on W face of tower
with round-arched head in deeply splayed reveals. String
course rising over door, and window on N elevation. Round-
arched windows above with string course raised as square
hoodmould over; corbelled stepped parapet with bartizans;
smaller clock stage with similarly detailed parapet bartizans
with conical caps. Tall belfry stage with round-arched
openings, cable moulded cornice, tall bell-cast roof with
crowning cupola; weather vane with gilded cock.
Courthouse and jail to E and S; 3 storeys, 2 bays(W) to High
Street, 9 bays(E) to Tolbooth Street. Square-headed windows
to High Street with corbelled, squared bartizans to outer
bay. Courtroom to S with 2 round-head windows at 1st floor E
and W; 3 smaller round-headed windows and pend to ground
floor. Tolbooth Street; multi-pane glazing. 4 bays to jail,
facing E to Tolbooth Street.
INTERIOR: vaulted rooms in tower; courtroom with coffered
ceiling stained glass windows; some late 19th century
courtroom fittings survive.
Statement of Special Interest
Built on site of previous Tolbooth. Juts into High Street;
corner site with Tolbooth Street. Cells remain within.
Building now used as Moray District Record Office.
Stained glass window depicts St Laurence, patron saint of
Forres; gifted by Mr William Smith of Colithie, Huntly, a
native of Forres. Provost's Chair, 1893. Pair of Provost's
lamps in front of main entrance.
Unfortunate insertion of ventilation grills in some upper
window cills (circa 1980).
Former Item 77 (1983 Revised List)
References
Bibliography
Howard Colvin, BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS,
1600-1840 (1978), p.699. NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT, xii,
p.164. J and W Watson MORAYSHIRE DESCRIBED, (1868), p.256-7.
Robert Douglas, ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BURGH OF FORRES (1934),
pp.285, 296. Original plans with Moray District Record
Office, Forres. Also illustrations of previous Tolbooth.
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