The courthouse in Kyrkostrand in Jakobstad is one of the oldest surviving courthouses in Finland, and the oldest still preserved on its original site. The building was constructed in 1787–88 and served as an courthouse until 1967. It was built according to blueprints from the Superintendent’s Office in Stockholm. The interior layout follows the models for officers’ residences presented in the early 18th century, which can, for example, be found in the 1734 Civil Code. Construction was entrusted to Master Shipbuilder Johan Jakobsson Klubb from Östensö. Stylistically, the building represents the Gustavian period, while its interior layout follows Carolean principles.
The Pedersöre courthouse has been used primarily for its original purpose since its construction. For shorter periods, it has also served other functions, such as a catechism school at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. This is attested by the signatures found beneath the seats of the chairs. The building has also been used temporarily as municipal offices, for meetings, and as a polling station for the municipality of Pedersöre.
In 1972, the Pedersöre court district donated the building to the Pedersöre parish, and it has since been managed by the Pedersöre Parish Union. In 1975, a working group was appointed to explore the creation of a foundation for the courthouse. The group included members from the local parishes and municipalities. They also prepared a plan for how the courthouse should be used. An initial building description and an inventory of its contents were prepared in the summer of 1976 by Guy Björklund; the inventory includes just over 70 items.
The working group – with Deputy District Judge Bror Uunila as chairman – envisioned the courthouse as a museum of the judicial system, including an exhibition on the church builder Jakob Rijf. However, these plans never materialized, and the building gradually came to be used as storage.
The courthouse came under renewed consideration in 2012, both within the Ministry of Justice and among local legal professionals.
The building and its interior were recognized anew for their outstanding value as a monument to Finnish legal history. In conjunction with her birthday in the spring of 2014, Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson donated funds for the establishment of a museum in the courthouse. On 1 December 2013, the Pedersöre Tingsmuseum rf was founded for this purpose, with Chief Judge Daniel Allén of the District Court of Ostrobothnia appointed as chairman.
The building is still owned by the community association, and Pedersöre Tingshusförening rf has an agreement with them regarding its use. The aim is to develop and maintain a small-scale museum without major alterations, allowing visitors (mainly during the summer) to experience an authentic early-20th-century courthouse environment. In the summer of 2017, marking 230 years since the building was inaugurated and 50 years since the last court session was held, a major celebration took place at the courthouse.