[1] The foundation stone for the new Courts of Justice was laid on 16 July 1890 by Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale.

[2] The Magistrates’ Court was built between 1890 and 1892 to the designs of the architects Huon Arthur Matear and Henry Bloomfield Bare.

The quantity surveyor was Charles Wise of Liverpool and the contract for construction was let to Parker and Sharpe of York.

The style of the building was a free treatment of Gothic architecture with the main entrance on Clifford Street and a projecting bay at each end carried up to octagonal turrets enriched with carved stonework at a greater height that the remainder of the facade.

In the apex of the pediment is carved the arms of the city of York and above them a figure of Justice holding the scales.