Goodbye to building with criminal past

There has been no reprieve for the old Shifnal Magistrates Court which has been demolished to make way for new homes.

The demolition and dismantling of the building, which was a former Baptist chapel, has been taking place over recent weeks and is now complete.

Sitting on Fridays, over the years the court in Shrewsbury Road heard thousands of cases, ranging from minor motoring to the aftermath of trouble in the town.

Its last ever hearing was on April 25, 1986, as a number of local magistrates court closed with the opening of a purpose-built courts complex in Telford.

Afterwards it lay unused and with an uncertain future. A proposal to turn it into an arts centre failed to attract lottery cash.

Shifnal Town Council, which bought the building, had hoped to transform it into public use but was unable to raise the cash to renovate and convert it.

According to research by the late Dr Sylvia Watts of St Andrew’s Archive Group in Shifnal, it was built as a Baptist chapel in 1844.

There had been an earlier Baptist chapel in Aston Street and there was a split between the Particular and the General Baptists. The Particular stayed in Aston Street.

Although she was unable to find when it stopped being a chapel, she believed its use as a magistrates court began in the 1940s.

Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing has announced that seven new affordable homes will be provided on the land.

"This will include three affordable rent and four shared ownership flats for the people of Shifnal," said a spokesman.

"In addition to this, a neighbouring home, which is managed by us, will also be extensively refurbished as part of the build and put back into use.

"The new buildings are designed sympathetically in conjunction with Shifnal Town Council’s working group, to respect the existing structure.

"They will transform the current derelict site to create much-needed housing for local people. The existing frontage will be revamped keeping the original wrought iron railings and gate."