An old courthouse in one of the city's oldest suburbs offers a fascinating glimpse of what the justice system used to look like.
West Derby Village is steeped in history which dates back as far as 1086 when it was first mentioned in the Domesday Book. However, it was during the Victorian period that the village underwent a real transformation and was largely rebuilt by the 4th Earl of Sefton, William Philip Molyneux, whose family lived in Croxteth Hall for generations.
The Tudor courthouse in the centre of the village dates back more than 400 years to 1586, when it was built on the order of Elizabeth I and cost just £40 to construct. Back then, the courthouse was used to issue fines for offences like not attending church or keeping a pig without a ring in its nose. If you didn't pay the fine you could be put in the stocks for up to six hours.
