27th February: The Old Bailey

London's famous court, Old Bailey opened on this date in 1907. Here are ten things you might not know about the Old Bailey.

1. While the present Old Bailey building was opened in 1907 by Edward VII, there has been a courthouse and/or a prison on the site since at least 1585, when the court was first mentioned in records. The whole thing came about thanks to an endowment intended to improve Newgate Gaol and provide room for the sheriffs. The donor was none other than Richard Whittington, the Lord Mayor who inspired the Dick Whittington pantomime.
2. The building was designed by E. W. Mountford, and was built on the site of Newgate Gaol, which was demolished to make room for it.
3. The correct name for the building is actually the Central Criminal Court. Old Bailey is a nickname based on the name of the street it stands on. The name means "Old Wall". The name is due to the fact that the building stands on the site of the Roman wall which once surrounded London. Remnants of the wall form part of the foundations and one remnant has been preserved in the basement under the cells.
4. Also under the building, there is a river. The River Fleet, to be exact, flowing through a culvert. It can be accessed through a hatch in the floor of what used to be the coal room. It's said that prison reformer Elizabeth Fry once collected Water here for the inmates to drink.
5. Atop the Old Bailey is a dome, the inside of which is only ever seen by the Old Bailey's under-Sheriff and the building manager once a year. On top of the dome is the statue of Lady Justice. She is 3.5m tall and weighs 22 tons. She holds the sword of retribution in her right hand, and the scales of justice in her left. She was created by British sculptor F. W. Pomeroy, and is not, contrary to popular belief, blindfolded. She is an innocent maiden, which according to court literature, makes her impartial enough without needing to be blindfolded.
6. On the subject of literature, Charles Dickens was at one time a court reporter and reported on many cases here. It's likely many of his stories were inspired by these. The Old Bailey is mentioned by name in his book A Tale of Two Cities.
7. The words "Defend the Children of the Poor and Punish the Wrongdoer" are inscribed above the main entrance.
8. During hearings, the judge does not sit on the centre of the bench. This tradition arose because the Lord Mayor and aldermen of the City of London are entitled to sit in and observe hearings if they wish. Should the Lord Mayor decide to drop in he would sit in the middle. The original ceremonial gates are only used by the Lord Mayor and visiting royalty. Members of the public can visit during the week free of charge, but if you're planning to go, leave your phone at home. No phones are allowed inside and there is no place provided to leave them.
9. Originally, the Old Bailey was only for trials of criminals accused of crimes committed in the City and Middlesex. This changed in 1856, when William Palmer, a doctor accused of murder by poisoning, revolted the public so much that it was unlikely he'd get a fair trail at his local court in Staffordshire. The Central Criminal Court Act 1856 was passed to enable his trial to be held at the Old Bailey. Since then any number of notorious criminals have been tried there, including the Kray Twins, Dr Crippen, the Yorkshire Ripper, Ruth Ellis — the last woman to be executed in the UK, and Oscar Wilde.
10. Up until 1868, public hangings would take place outside. Thousands of people would show up to jeer and throw things at the condemned prisoner. In 1807, 28 people were crushed to death after a pie-seller's stall overturned. Poetic justice, perhaps. A secret tunnel was built from the Bailey to the church opposite, to allow the Chaplain access without having to fight his way through riotous crowds. Thousands of condemned prisoners have taken the "Dead Man's Walk" through Newgate Prison to a public square to be hanged. You may well ask, therefore, if the place is haunted. The official ghost story is that it is haunted by the ghost of the ‘Black Dog of Newgate’. He was a prisoner who was killed and eaten by his cell mates when they were starving, and appears in the form of a black dog. The pub across the street, the Viaduct Tavern, built on the site of another old prison, is said to be haunted too. Staff are nervous of going down to the cellar, which used to be prison cells, because of lights going off, doors locking themselves and strange noises.

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