Saturday, 13 July 2013

SOMERSET. Lock-ups at Kilmersdon, Kingsbury Episcopi and Mells.

 
 
 
These three lock-ups are all of similar in design.
 
 
The lock-up at Kilmersdon, known as The Blind House, is situated on the B3139 through the village and opposite the Joliffe Arms, BA3 5TD. It was rebuilt in 1835 after being moved from a site beside the churchyard wall where it had stood since 1785. The new site was a small village green where the stocks were sited. It was restored in 1982.
With the door removed it is now used as a bus stop shelter.
 
 
 
 
 

KILMERSDON

OS Grid Reference: ST6957252369
OS Grid Coordinates: 369572, 152369
Latitude/Longitude: 51.2697, -2.4375

 
Photo by Roy Pledger





Kilmersdon Churchwardens' Accounts record the original building :
' 1785.
For Quarrying of Stones to build a Guard House adjoining the Churchyard £1.16s 5d.
Hauling sd stones. £4.10s.
Lime and carriage £3. 8s 6d.
Abraham Hobbs and his sons for building ye sd house £6. 9s 11d.
Joseph Cox's bill for work done at sd house £4. 8s 4d. '
A total cost of £20 13s 2d.
Some expenses which were also recorded are :
' 11th June 1786 - 5d For beer for putting Charles and John Abraham in the Guard House.
September 1768 - 4d expenses putting a Soldier in the Guard House.
1796 - 2s for repairing lock. '
 
It was Grade 11 listed 11.3.1968 (No.267957) and described as :

Lock-up, now bus shelter. C17. Coursed and squared rubble, pyramidal stone-tiled roof with ball finial at apex. Squareon plan. Door opening to roadside with segmental-pointed arch head,
  wrought-iron gate; (studded plank door missing attime of resurvey, May 1985).
Listing NGR: ST6957052370
Source: English Heritage
Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006

 

 
 
 
 
 
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The lock-up at Kingsbury Episcopi whilst of similar design, is octagonal on plan and known as
The Round House. It is situated on the village green in Thorney Road, TA12 6AD
and  dates to the 18th century.
 
 
 

  KINGSBURY EPISCOPI

OS Grid Reference: ST4343121101
OS Grid Coordinates: 343431, 121101
Latitude/Longitude: 50.9865, -2.8073

 
Photo by Roy Pledger
 
 
It was Grade 11 listed 17.4.1959 (No.264442) and described as :
 
Lock-up. C18.Octagonal on plan, coursed, and squared rubble with a segmental stone roof, ball finial, Narrow dooropening in a chamfered frame, studded plank door, strap hinges;
2 very narrow barred "windows".
Listing NGR: ST4342821102
Source: English Heritage
Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006.
 
 
 
Quite often the local Lord of The Manor would pay all or part of the cost of the lock-up
Apparently in 1958 there was some dispute over ownership of the building when the Lord of the Manor's Wyndham Estate was sold off. The Rural Disrict Council claimed that in the absence of any title deeds, the Parish Council could claim prescriptive ownership.
 
 
  
Photo by Colin Sinnott with expressed permission
 
 
 
 
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The lock-up at Mells is situated at 1 Rashwood Lane, BA11 3PT
and dates to the 17th century.
 
 


MELLS

OS Grid Reference: ST7261048986
OS Grid Coordinates: 372610, 148986
Latitude/Longitude: 51.2394, -2.3937

 
Photo by Colin Sinnott with expressed permission
 
 

In 1728, The Court Leet of Mells, had presented 'Thomas Horner and the Rev.
Mr Paget to erect a guard house and to put stocks and whipping post in
good repair.' As a result, Horner, who was Lord of the Manor, and the
Rector, had the Blind House erected fronting onto a piece of 'the Lord's
waste.'  Horner's ancestor was 'Little Jack Horner' of nursery rhyme fame.



It was Grade 11* listed 11.3.1968 (No.266749) and described as :

Lock-up. C17. Doulting rubble, dressed quoins, pyramidal stone tile roof with circular stone capping. Small rectangular
structure having central pointed arch door opening in block surround; studded vertical plank door with iron surround
and strap hinges, small square peephole with hinged iron barred grille. Second inner door of similar style.
An unusually complete survival.
Listing NGR: ST7261048986
Source: English Heritage
Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006.




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