The Oatlands Supreme Court is one of the oldest court buildings in Tasmania, and was the only Supreme Court outside of Hobart and Launceston. Built in 1829 by two convicts from the Oatlands chain gang (wearing their leg irons at the time), the court house was enlarged by renowned Colonial Architect John Lee Archer in 1835, and became a Supreme Court in 1841. During its time as a Supreme Court, 18 men were sentenced to death and executed outside the Oatlands Gaol.
Many strange and curious cases were heard here, such as William Stevens, who was known for drinking blood, or Eliza Lacking, who got three months hard labour for leaving her husband. The Court House was also the administrative centre for the Oatlands Police during the frontier conflict between Aborigines and Europeans, and was at the centre of Governor Arthur's 'Black Line'.
The Court House will be open to the public from 15 March 2010, from Wednesday to Sunday, 11am and 3pm, with public holidays by appointment. Guided tours outside this time can be arranged through the Oatlands Visitor Information Centre on (03) 62541212.
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