Designated 1981 Opened 1840 Architectural style Neoclassical architecture | Completed 1840 Designated 1997 Town or city St. Andrews Construction started 1839 | |
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Type Provincial Heritage Place Similar Charlotte County Archives, Centracare, Ross Memorial Museum, Christ Church Cathedral, The Algonquin Resort St | ||
The Charlotte County Court House (French: Palais de justice du comté de Charlotte) is a court house serving Charlotte County and located in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada. It is now the oldest court house in Canada still in continuous use and serves as the local seat of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick.
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History
The court house was constructed in 1840 adjacent to the Charlotte County Gaol, and was designed by architect Thomas Berry. The building features a pedimented portico, onto which a large Royal coat of arms was added in 1858 by Charles Kennedy. In its early years, the building was a focal point for local activities such as elections, fairs, parades, and official visits.
National Historic Site
The building was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981, as the best preserved example in New Brunswick of the typical mid-19th century Maritime courthouse. It was subsequently also designated under the provincial Historic Sites Protection Act in 1997.