Going to court.

Last week, for my contribution to Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors weekly feature, I shared a rather petite door from the city of Stratford. This week, I’ll stay in town, but instead focus on a somewhat more stately building.

The Perth County Court House opened in 1887, designed by architect George F. Durand. It’s situated on high ground at the end of the main road entering town from the east, and bordered on one side by the charming Shakespearean Gardens. Durand was originally trained in art – sculpture – and this is evident by the artistic elements of the design, including several themed terra cotta panels and sculptures adorning the facade.

Durand, I learned, died at the age of only thirty-nine, though his work endures in several buildings throughout the region.

It was after-hours when I visited, so I didn’t venture inside. Let’s hope that if I enter this particular structure one day, it’s for tourism purposes and not because I’ve been summoned 🙂

Thanks, as always, for stopping by.