Osgoode Hall Fence Heritage Property Plaque
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Original JPG File8400 × 6515 pixels (54.73 MP) 71.1 cm × 55.2 cm @ 300 PPI 8.8 MB |
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Resource ID
10429
Access
Open
Address
130 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N5
Credit Line
Heritage Toronto
Date of Creation
2023
Historical Themes
Architectural Heritage, Innovation and Technology
Keywords
architecture, osgoode hall
Program Category
Historical Plaques
Rights
Heritage Toronto
Time Period
1835-1899, 1900-1953, 1954-1998, 1999-today
Caption
Osgoode Hall Fence Heritage Property Plaque
Description
This ornate cast iron fence was completed in 1867, the year of Canadian Confederation, according to designs by architect William Storm. Osgoode Hall is the home of the Law Society of Ontario, the body that governs the province’s legal professions, as well as the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Superior Court of Justice. Named for William Osgoode, first Chief Justice of Upper Canada, the building opened in 1832 and was expanded and modified several times. The grounds were first surrounded by a wooden fence around 1831. In the 1860s, the Law Society ordered a permanent replacement, and the St. Lawrence Foundry created the panels in 1866 and 1867. An urban myth, popularized in the 1933 book The Yellow Briar by Toronto lawyer John Mitchell, tells how the iron fence and gates were designed to keep out animals, but by the 1860s it was rare to see wandering livestock in Toronto. The design was likely chosen to provide a grand threshold for the courthouse while also controlling access to the grounds. Due to weather exposure and its downtown location, the fence requires regular maintenance, including major refurbishment every 25 to 30 years.