Dating from 1539, the Central Criminal Court (commonly known as Old Bailey) is one of the world’s most famous criminal courts. Famous trials at Old Bailey include those of William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania), Oscar Wilde, Dr Crippen, the Krays and the Yorkshire Ripper.
The courthouse is not really that old. Although it dates from the 16th century, the oldest parts of the current building aren’t much older than 100 years. The court is called Old Bailey because of the street it is on, which marked the original wall (bailey) of the City of London.
What to see at Old Bailey
Old Bailey is a working courthouse and not, strictly speaking, a tourist attraction. You won’t find any exhibitions or displays set up for visitors but members of the public are able to visit to watch a trial in progress. This is a unique opportunity to see British justice in action.
There are two main parts to the complex: the old part (containing courts one, two, three, four, 17 and 18) and the newer annexe with 12 courtrooms on three floors.
The old part of the court complex is steeped in history and this is what most people want to see when they visit. Historically court one was noted for high profile cases and many infamous criminals including the Kray Twins and the Yorkshire Ripper have appeared here. However, this courtroom has cramped seating and nowadays most cases take place in the newer annexe.
Visiting Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court is located in the City of London not far from St Paul’s Cathedral. City Thameslink station is just a three-minute walk away and St Paul’s tube station (on the Central line) is a five-minute walk.
Cases are heard Mon–Fri 10am–1pm and 2pm–4.30pm and the court is usually closed for around two weeks during the Christmas/New Year period.
Daily case listings can be found here although details of the current day’s cases are only available after 10am.
It is free to visit the public galleries but there are certain protocols that need to be followed.
In addition to passing a security checkpoint, children under 14 are not allowed in the complex and children aged 14–16 must be accompanied by an adult and you must be dressed appropriately. The minimum dress code is smart casual, which means no shorts or short skirts and no low-cut tops.
Visitors need to pass through an airport-style security checkpoint, but this is a stricter security clearance than you may expect and the list of prohibited items goes beyond weapons and includes cameras and mobile phones as well as food and drink.
Before visiting make sure that you don’t have any prohibited items with you (including mobile phones). Either leave these at your hotel or with a friend outside.
Nearby attractions include St Paul’s Cathedral and the Museum of London.
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