Courtyard housing, also known as "courts," was a type of high-density, low-quality housing that was prevalent in Liverpool during the 19th century. These homes were built in small, cramped spaces behind street-front houses and shops and faced onto courtyards. They were accessed through narrow passageways and were initially developed in the early 18th century to accommodate the growing population of the city.

By the mid 19th century, it is estimated that approximately half of Liverpool's working-class population lived in court housing. However, these homes were often overcrowded and poorly maintained, leading to their reputation as "slum" housing by the early 20th century. As a result, a program of "slum clearance" was implemented in Liverpool, which relocated residents to better living conditions and demolished these rundown houses. Today, only one standing example of a court remains in Liverpool, on Pembroke Place, where three houses survive as the back rooms of shops. Originally, these three houses would have been part of two courts, comprising a total of 16 homes.