Work in Progress January 2009

Work is continuing on the restoration of the Old Court House at Market Square, for which Antrim Borough Council recently secured an Historic Buildings Grant totalling £193,450 from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency towards eligible restoration work and professional fees for the project.

Work to date has included the clearance of interior walls and floors and, over the past few days, key parts of the roof structure have also been exposed following the removal of roof tiles. It is expected that the Cupola feature will be removed shortly for major refurbishment. In addition, the ground floor arches have been reopened, many of which had been built up since the 19th Century.

A programme of archaeological investigations to the ground floor has also taken place, which revealed the original cobblestones. As work has progressed, a number of interesting issues have arisen relating to parts of the building which are known to be original and evidence that has been uncovered regarding other areas, including the grand entrance steps at Market Square. Indeed, the discovery of a steel beam above the entrance and the uncovering of two original windows that had been blocked up on the ground floor, close to the location of the exterior steps, would appear to call in to question their authenticity as an original feature.

Gary Shaw, Cultural Services Manager with Antrim Borough Council said, "We are pleased with the progress being made by the Council's appointed contractor, JPM Contracts Ltd. We appreciate that some people may be concerned by the scale of the clearance operation but would reassure everyone that the utmost care is being taken to protect the structural and historic integrity of the building. It is important to remember that this historic building is almost 300 years old and, therefore, significant measures need to be taken to ensure its long-term structural stability."

When the redeveloped old Courthouse opens for business in early 2010 it will accommodate Antrim Information Centre on the ground floor, alongside a new café/bar area for visitors. The first floor will feature a new flagship multi-use auditorium space for culture and arts performances, civic events and conferencing.

13 January 2009

Arch on North Elevation to Inside	Cupola	Arches on the North Elevation
Scaffold along South Elevation	External View from High Street	Cobbles on the Ground Floor

15 January 2009

Base of a Ground Floor Column	The Interior	The Interior from the Steps
East Elevation Interior	South Elevation Interior	The Roof from the Inside
From the Interior to the Cupola	West Elevation Room beside Steps	Steel Beam over Entrance Steps
Vaulted Stonework