Market Place
High Street
Built in 1850 as a Magistrates’ Court and currently closed for redevelopment.
Locally Listed
In The Butts Conservation Area; Thames Policy
History
This was the site of the market in the town for at least 300 years. About 1850 the old Market House on this site was demolished and a Town Hall built as a speculative development by the Brentford Town Hall and Market House Company. It was never used as a town hall and by 1852 it housed the County and Magistrates Courts and the Board of Guardians met there. There was also a library and public meetings were held.
The results of the Middlesex elections were announced from a balcony at the front.
In 1891 it was bought by Middlesex county council for a full time court and additions were made to the building. It closed in 1929 for alterations when the white stone front section was added. It re-opened in 1931. The clock was made by Jullion of Brentford in the 18th century and was originally on the old Market House. It was moved onto the front section of the building at the time of the 1930s addition. It was automated in 1982 with a donation from the Brentford Chamber of Commerce. It closed as a court in 2012 and has been sold. English Heritage turned it down for listing 2012. It’s likely to be developed as a restaurant and apartments.
Further Information
Jullion clock and Brentford Chamber
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The History of Brentford 
Why is there no mention of the bomb that destroyed the Archives of Brentford Magistrates Court in the 1940’s? …. Not knowing has caused me and a lot of other people much wasted time and effort in contacting Brentford Magistrates Court for records pre-dating that event. Such a shame. Do hope you will add a few words to record this event, please.
Sincerely,
Shirley Young
Hi Shirley,
I’ve checked with Local Studies and they have no record of a bomb around the Court building or the Market Place. If the Archives were being stored elsewhere when they were destroyed we don’t know about it. So please tell us more.
found this online – the old magistrates court brentford, now developed you can see the new apartment and see the how they have redeveloped the old court room showing the old cells (now an apartment) but you can still see some of the old cells. https://youtu.be/TFBaSxYhRUM
Does anyone have memories or photos of the Dorset Forge blacksmiths and motor smiths in the 1950s or 1960s please?