The building is in local redbrick,
 with local sandstone trimming,
 and was put up about 1900,
 at the same time as the new
 Council Offices were going up
 opposite in Sunderland Road.
 (See next picture)
 This site was carefully chosen to
 represent the civic power combined
 with the power of the Law,
 and Sunderland Road was an
 important highway along which
 tramcars ran, giving easy access
 to both headquarters.