Hicks Hall

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Hicks Hall was the first purpose-built sessions-house for the Middlesex justices of the peace. The building was built by Sir Baptist Hicks (or Hickes), first VISCOUNT CAMPDEN (1551-1629), a wealthy fabric merchant. The house stood in the middle of St John Street ("the High-street of Saint John") in Clerkenwell in Middlesex (now London). It was opened in 1611 on land that had been granted to the magistrates by James I in 1610. The justices of Middlesex resolved in their first session there to name their new sessions house "Hicks-hall". It was in use until 1778, by which time it had fallen into a state of disrepair and was thought to be no longer adequate to the task, and it was demolished.

Hicks Hall is mentioned in Samuel Pepys's diary, and several other contemporary reports. One of the most notable cases was the grand jury trial of several of the regicides of Charles I on 9th Oct 1660.

The Middlesex Sessions House at Clerkenwell Green replaced it for official use. The Clerkenwell Green building continued in use for judicial purposes until 1921 when all remaining business was transferred to the Sessions House in Newington.

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