WILTSHIRE. Lock-ups at Box, Bradford on Avon and Bromham.

 

 

 

 

 

The lock-up at Box is quite an elegant affair and has a plaque which declares it to be 'The Blind House'.  It is situated in High Street, SN13 8NB and dates to the early 18th century. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

 

 

 

 

BOX

OS Grid Reference: ST8247668483
OS Grid Coordinates: 382476, 168483
Latitude/Longitude: 51.4151, -2.2534

Photographs by Colin Sinnott


It has a single cell with a stone bench. A 'chimney' towards the rear of the roof is apparently an air vent. The building was Grade 11 listed 20.12.1960 (No.317025) and described as :



Lock-up, early c18, ashlar, square plan with octagonal stone dome
and ball finial and north-east baluster-shaped stone chimney.
Raised plinth and moulded stone cornice. Centre breaks forward
slightly with arched doorway and studded plank door. Pointed north
window with square opening over. Attached to right, short length
of ashlar wall with coping ramped down to pier with moulded cornice
and rounded cap. Scheduled Ancient Monument Wiltshire 252.

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.

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The lock-up at Bradford on Avon is situated on the town bridge in Silver Street, BA15 1HB and dates to the 18th century when it was built onto the integral foundations of a 13th century chapel.

BRADFORD ON AVON

OS Grid Reference: ST8261460904
OS Grid Coordinates: 382614, 160904
Latitude/Longitude: 51.3470, -2.2510

Photo's by Sarah Buttenshaw with expressed permission

 

                             

 

The fish weathervane on top of the building is a Bradford Gudgeon and gives rise to a saying

'being over the water but under the fish'
as a euphemism for being in jail.

The Bridge and chapel were Grade 11 listed 18.4.1952 (No.312478) and described as :

Stone built, 9 arches. Originally pack horse bridge, but widened in Cl7
by rebuilding western side. All arches on W side are semi-circular. Eastern
side retains two original C13 arches, ribbed and pointed, remainder semi-circular.
Cutwaters with weather capping on this side. One cutwater extended to
form pier and stepped out in graduated corbelling to support Chapel. The
Chapel (known also as Blind House) is almost square in plan, has 4 small
square window openings, 2 overlooking river and 1 in each side. A narrow
4-centred arch doorway gives access from bridge. The domed roof rises
(following the square plan of the chapel) in a series of offsets and terminates
in heavy stone finial surmounted by weather vane. The rotating vane is
in form of fish. (The "Bradford Gudgeon") and is C16 work in copper-guilt.
There is short chimney stack on river side of roof. Chapel has been used
also as lock-up and ammunition store.
Listing NGR: ST8261660909

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.

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The lock-up at Bromham is situated in High Street, SN15 2EX where it is built into the churchyard wall. A true blind house - it has no windows or grilles. An information plaque tells us :
'This is the parish lock-up, known locally as the 'Blind House'. It cost £16 when erected in 1809'.

 

BROMHAM

OS Grid Reference: ST9633265201
OS Grid Coordinates: 396332, 165201
Latitude/Longitude: 51.3858, -2.0541

Photo's by Sarah Buttenshaw with expressed permission.

 

 

 

It was Grade 11 listed 19.3.1962 (No.311190) and described as :

 

 

Lock-up, C18 possibly C17, timber-framed with stone slate pyramid

roof. Red brick base. Small, square plan with exposed studs,

boarded within and front door set high to right. South side door.

Listing NGR: ST9633365200

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

I am grateful to Sarah Buttenshaw for allowing me to use of her photographs.

 

 

 

 

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