Clarke County’s historic courthouse belongs to Virginia’s collection of Roman Revival courthouses, the prototypes for which were Thomas Jefferson’s public buildings. With its tetrastyle Tuscan portico of wood and stucco set against red brick walls, the Old Clarke County Courthouse follows the Jeffersonian formula of classical forms and details rendered in native materials. On the roof is a classical cupola containing a bell to call the court to session. The courthouse was built by David Meade, younger brother of Bishop William Meade, soon after Clarke County was formed from Frederick County in 1836. Although the exterior of the Old Clarke County Courthouse survives relatively unchanged, the courtroom was altered around the turn of the 20th century when its axis was shifted, resulting in the bench being moved from the east to the south wall. Included on the courthouse square in the Berryville Historic District are the jail, sheriff’s office, and former clerk’s office. The present (1977) courthouse stands nearby.