File:Old Courthouse, Lisburn.jpg

The Old Courthouse in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Built in 1884 at the expense of Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet of Antrim Castle House, and demolished in 1971. Wallace's coat of arms and motto 'Esperance' were in the pediment. The building, Palladian in design, was one of Lisburn's finest.

It was built at the personal expense of the local landowner and Member of Parliament for Lisburn Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet, of Antrim Castle, and demonstrates his significant financial and political commitment made to the town.[3] The design was based on a largely un-executed design by Andrea Palladio for the Villa Ragona Cecchetto, in Ghizzole, Montegaldella, Veneto, Italy, for his client Girolamo Ragona, a deputy of the nearby City of Vicenza.[4] It involved a symmetrical main frontage which featured a tetrastyle portico with Corinthian order columns supporting a frieze and a heavily carved pediment, on which was sculpted the Wallace coat of arms and his motto "Esperance" (English: "hope").[3]

However, after it was not adequately maintained, its condition deteriorated and it was, ultimately, demolished in 1971.[5] The demolition took place in the face of strong local opposition from local heritage groups and the author, Charles Brett, said shortly after the demolition that "the building was by no means beyond restoration when it was demolished."[6][7]