Friday 3 May 2013

DEVON. Lock-ups at Axminster, Dartmouth, Denbury, Ipplepen, Paignton, Sidmouth, Torquay and Totnes.



I have  located eight possible lock-ups in Devon, with a variety of styles, although the one at Denbury may be doubtful, as we shall see and the one at Sidmouth only has partial remains.
Lock-ups in this area were generally known as The Clink.
 

The diminutive lock-up at Axminster, now boarded up. is built into a wall in  Castle Street, EX13 5NP. The door has apparently been removed due to vandalism and has been preserved in storage by the town council.
The door previously bore a plaque which read :  'TOWN CLINK. Circa 1600-1800'.






AXMINSTER
 
Photo by Colin Sinnott with expressed permission.
 
 
 
 
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The lock-up at Dartmouth is situated beneath the rear of Market Court House,
Market Street, TQ6 9NY
(Confirmed by Dartmouth Museum Curator). No further information has been forthcoming.
The Market Court, which dates to 1828 (renovated c1975) is a Grade 11 listed building but the lock-up is not mentioned in the listing.



DARTMOUTH

OS Grid Reference: SX8766751390
OS Grid Coordinates: 287667, 51390
Latitude/Longitude: 50.3517, -3.5803



Photo's by Roy Pledger.









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A building known as Denbury Cistern, may have been a lock-up according to local historians
although there is no firm evidence.
 
 
 
DENBURY

OS Grid Reference: SX8234368874
OS Grid Coordinates: 282343, 68874
Latitude/Longitude: 50.5078, -3.6606


 
Photo by Derek Harper with expressed permission.
 
© Copyright Derek Harper and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
 
Year taken 2009
 Described as a "Water Conduit head, it may originally have been the village lock-up, converted to use as a water cistern in 1771 (the date it bears on the finial surmounting the pyramidal roof). The cistern has become the village's war memorial. The water supply was disconnected in 1962 LinkExternal link and from notice attached; there are more details at LinkExternal link , which includes a celebration of its significance in village life, and an account of water supply to the community. The light feature on top dates from the 2000 millennium.
 
I am grateful to Derek Harper for the use of his Geograph photograph and information.
 
 
Situated in East Street, TQ12 6DJ it was Grade 11 listed 15.10.1984 (No.431854) and described as :
 
 
 Water Conduit Head, redundant and in use as War Memorial. C18, or possibly
earlier. Square stone rubble building ribbon pointed, with projecting plinth and
pyramidical stone roof, the latter surmounted by a stone finial (perhaps a later
addition) inscribed 1771. On east side a small rectangular aperture with C19 plank
door having strap-hinges. At foot of west side a projection now cemented over
probably the original trough. Above this, memorial tablets to the dead of 1914-18
and 1939-49 wars. Situated at cross roads in centre of village.
Listing NGR: SX8234268874

Source: English Heritage
Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006.




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There is a lock-up or clink at Ipplepen but it is in the private garden of The Olde House
(Grade 11 listed) in Fore Street, where it is in use as a garden shed in a walled garden.
The house was formerly an almshouse and the lock-up was alongside, both on the edge of the village green, before the site was sold into private ownership. The present owner of the property, Victor Donson, kindly allowed me to look at the lock-up but unfortunately it was raining.
 
PLEASE RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY



IPPLEPEN

OS Grid Reference: SX8352166588
OS Grid Coordinates: 283521, 66588
Latitude/Longitude: 50.4875, -3.6433


Photo's by Roy Pledger



The interior seems to be in original condition with its barrel vaulted roof
The broken down door debris is inside the lock-up, including metal fitments.


 

The owner found this iron ball inside the lock-up. It appears to be
part of a ball and chain device.

 


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The lock-up or clink, at Paignton is situated in Church Street Mews, TQ3 3AX
and dates to the 18th century.
 
 
 
PAIGNTON

OS Grid Reference: SX8862360919
OS Grid Coordinates: 288623, 60919
Latitude/Longitude: 50.4375, -3.5697

 
Photo by Tony Carter with expressed permission.
 
I am grateful to Tony Carter for allowing me to copy his Panoramio photograph.
 
 
It was Grade 11 listed 101.1.1975 (No.353807) and described as :
 
Lock-up built against tall wall. C18 or earlier. Local red
breccia rubble; slate roof. Wall local red breccia rubble.
2-cell building with single entrance and one window.
Single-storey. Lean-to roof. Doorway on west end with breccia
lintel and various remains of ironwork associated with doors;
slit window on north side with breccia lintel; east end
masonry reduces in thickness about 2 metres up from the
ground; evidence of external limewash. South side built
against tall breccia wall which extends to west and east
beyond the building. Plaque on wall describes lock-up as
medieval and last used in 1867. INTERIOR: Barrel-vaulted
breccia roof to each cell, connecting doorway has breccia
lintel. Remains of lime plaster.                             
Listing NGR: SX8862360919
Source: English Heritage
Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The lock-up at Sidmouth was in Mill Street, EX10 but all that remains is a stone wall with two small barred windows.

 
 SIDMOUTH

Photo by Anthony Vosper.
 
© Copyright Anthony Vosper and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

I am grateful to Anthony Vosper for the use of his Geograph photograph.
 
 
 
 
 
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It is said that The Clink at Torquay was situated below the Old Town Hall
in Union Street. TQ2 5PW. The building (1851/2) is Grade 11 listed
but the lock-up is not mentioned in the listing.




TORQUAY

OS Grid Reference: SX9168663938
OS Grid Coordinates: 291686, 63938
Latitude/Longitude: 50.4652, -3.5275



Photo's by Roy Pledger.




 
No further information at present.
 
 
 
 
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The lock-up at Totnes, now PRIVATE PROPERTY and much altered, is situated at 8 Seymour Place, TQ9 5AY. It probably dates to the 18th or early 19th century, and was probably adjacent to the former New Inn, now Four Seasons Guest House.

PLEASE RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY




TOTNES 

OS Grid Reference: SX8090460277
OS Grid Coordinates: 280904, 60277
Latitude/Longitude: 50.4302, -3.6781


Photo by Colin Sinnott with expressed permission.

I am, as always, grateful to Colin Sinnott for sending me  photograph's.
 
 
 
It was Grade 11 listed 10.3.1986 (No.428280) and described as :
 
' Lock-up. Probably C18 or early C19. Local limestone and slate rubble.
Barrel-vaulted stone rubble roof clad in mass concrete which probably replaces slate
roofing. Small square single cell building in the form of a lean-to adjoining the back of
a cart-shed. There is a straight masonry joint between the two buildings at
upper level only. The South front has a doorway to the left, the lintel replaced
with a concrete lintel. An iron grille door is to be re-instated. To right a
rectangular window opening with stone frame; the sandstone jambs have been reused,
they are hollow-chamfered and with glazing grooves; the sandstone lintel has been
roughly chamfered to match and the granite cill is also chamfered. The window
has iron bars without glazing. It appears on Elliot's map of Bridgetown, 1825
(Devon Records Office 867B/ES3A) which shows the house and smithy to the south
(The Old Forge Guest House) not to have existed at that time.
Source: M Laithwaite '.
Listing NGR: SX8090460277


Source: English Heritage
Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.



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In his book Some West Country Lock-Ups, Leslie Brooke mentions lock-ups which have been  demolished at Bideford, Bovey Tracey, Bradninch, Braunton and Cheriton Cross



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1 comment:

Betty said...

Dear Roy I have been researching lock up castle hill axminster Devon to no avail.in urgent need of information and where did you find facts.please contact me Vanessa 07982587630 there are three freeholders of property who need to prove that this lock up does not belong to them.local authorities are trying to say otherwise.would really appreciate your help urgently.I am not on blog but please phone using above number