SHROPSHIRE. lock-up at Bishop's Castle.

The lock-up at Bishop's Castle was situated in the basement of the Town Hall, High Street, SY9 5BG and has now been converted into public toilets. The building dates to c1765 to the designs of architect William Baker, with 19th century remodelling.



 

 

BISHOP'S CASTLE

OS Grid Reference: SO3234488950
OS Grid Coordinates: 332344, 288950
Latitude/Longitude: 52.4942, -2.9979
 

Photo by David Neal

 

© Copyright David Neal and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

 

I am grateful to David Neal for the use of his Geograph photograph.

 

 

The building was Grade 11* listed 28.7.1950 (No.256962) and described as :

 

Town Hall. Circa 1765 with mid- to late-C19 remodelling.
 Basement and 2 storeys.
2 circular basement windows with wrought-iron grilles.
5 bay east and west fronts; .....  public lavatories in former
lock-up in basement to south. Interior: entrance hall to north with
office above, and ground floor hall to south with Courtroom (probably
former Council Chamber) above
  Listing NGR: SO3234488950

 

Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

 

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The lock-up at Much Wenlock is situated at the north end of the undercroft of The Guildhall in Wilmore Street, TF13 6HR, which contains the old Council Chamber and Law Courts on the upper floor. 
Whilst the building is timber framed, the lock-up is built from stone and
may date to the late 14th century.
 

 

 

MUCH WENLOCK

 

OS Grid Reference: SO6235599955
OS Grid Coordinates: 362355, 299955
Latitude/Longitude: 52.5961, -2.5572

 

 

The building was Grade 11* listed 24.10.1950 (No.254848) and described as :

 

 

Circa 1557. Timber frame and plaster. Single storey raised upon an arcaded
undercroft of oak posts with plain brackets. The undercroft is of seven
bays closed by C19 gates. The north end, below, is of stone, probably
late C14, originally a prison. The superstructure has 3 gables, that
on right-hand side modern over a timber-framed passage-way, each containing
a tall moulded wood mullioned and transomed six-light leaded windows. 2
additional smaller lights. The east side or rear is much rebuilt, C19
with arcaded treatment and some brickwork, but the structure generally
is an excellant example of its type. Original queen-post roof. Jacobean
panelling and fittings, but little of it in situ. Recently well restored.

Listing NGR: SO6235699956

Source: English Heritage

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

 

 





NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. Lock-ups at Farnsfield, Mansfield Woodhouse and Tuxford.

Moving south into Nottinghamshire, I have located only three exisiting and one derelict lock-up.
Apart from Tuxford, information on these lock-ups is rather sparse

 

The is/was a lock-up at Edwinstowe situated in High Street opposite Ye Olde Jug and Glass pub possible between No.42 and the Old Library. It was reported to be derelict and may

have disappeared altogether now.

 

 

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The lock-up at Farnsfield is situated in Mansfield Road, NG22 8HF

and it dates to the early 19th century.

OS Grid Reference: SK6449056786
OS Grid Coordinates: 464490, 356786
Latitude/Longitude: 53.1044, -1.0382

It was Grade 11 listed 13.5.1986 (No.242135) and described as :

Lockup. Early C19. Red brick, with brick and ashlar dressings.

Slate roof. Open pediments formed in the gables with raised

brick bands. Single storey, single bay. Gable end to road with

doorway with chamfered ashlar surround and heavy wooden plank

door with stud headed nails. Above is a lozenge shaped

ventilator. In the right wall is an opening with chamfered

ashlar surround and metal grille and bars

Listing NGR: SK6449056786

.

 Source: English Heritage

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

 

I don't have a photograph of this lock-up.  Can you help please?

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I haven't been able to find any information about the lock-up at Mansfield Woodhouse except that it is situated in Station Street and it may well be in private ownership.

 

 

MANSFIELD WOODHOUSE

Sketch by Charlie Glenn

I am very grateful to Charlie Glenn for allowing me to copy his sketch.
 

 

 

 

 

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The large lock-up at Tuxford is situated in Long Lane at the junction with Newcastle Street,

NG22 0LN and its large datestone reads 1823. It appears that there was a lobby, with table and chair, inside the door of the use of the village constable. A cell at each side contained a wooden bench, with restraining rings and chains together with an earth toilet.

 

 

 



 

 

TUXFORD

OS Grid Reference: SK7354470846
OS Grid Coordinates: 473544, 370846
Latitude/Longitude: 53.2296, -0.8997
 

Photo by Richard Croft with expressed permission

© Copyright Richard Croft and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

I am grateful to Richard Croft for the use of his Geograph photograph

It was Grade 11 listed 14.11.1985 (N o.420410) and described as :

 Lock up. Dated 1823. Red brick, some stucco. Hipped pantile
roof. Dogtooth eaves. Single storey, 3 bays. Central doorway,
panelled iron door, with single long hinge, under cambered arch.
Either side are single recessed round arched blind panels, each
with a single small circular opening with iron bars. Above the
doorway is an oval stucco panel dated 1823 .
Listing NGR: SK7354470846

Source: English Heritage

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

 

An appraisal of the conservation area at Tuxford, by Bassetlaw District Council in March 2011

tells us :

' Tuxford also possessed a lock-up, one of only three in Nottinghamshire. Built in1823 it stands on the green on Newcastle Street. It has two separate cells, each with an earth closet. Ventilation was achieved through portholes with ironbars on the front and back walls. In 1884 an extension was added to the back of the lock-up to house Tuxford's fire engine (this has since been demolished and the fire engine is on display in the south of the country). A police house was nearby. By the 1900s, however, the lock-up is believed to have changed use to a mortuary for a local doctor. The pinfold, which remained in use untilthe 1920's, was located directly behind the lock-up. By comparison, the Farnsfield lock-up, which is the only other surviving example in Nottinghamshire, is a much simpler brick structure, making Tuxford’s lock-up an important example. It was lucky to escape demolition in the 1970's '.

 

 

 

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LINCOLNSHIRE. Lock-ups at Deeping St James and Digby.

It seems that there are just two existing lock-ups in Lincolnshire, both converted from other use.

The 15th century cross at Deeping St James, situated in Eastgate, PE6 8RB, was converted into a lock up in 1819 (datestone) and was refurbished in 1999. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade 1 listed building.



 DEEPING ST JAMES

OS Grid Reference: TF1581709486
OS Grid Coordinates: 515817, 309486
Latitude/Longitude: 52.6707, -0.2886
 

Photo by Roy Pledger

 

 

It was Grade 1 listed 30.101968 (No.194457) and described as :

 

Cross converted to lock up. C15, converted 1819. Squared
limestone rubble, ashlar. Square on plan with double stepped
plinth. On north side is a panelled and barred door with plain
ashlar lintel. Above is a coped offset to sides of cross base
enriched with cusped 6 lank panels and shields with stepped angle
buttresses between which are embattled friezes, that to north
inscribed 1819. Above is a pyramidal stone roof crowned by reset
fragment of a crocketed nodding ogee canopy. Interior has 3
semi-circular recessed and semi-domed seats, with attached
chains. Scheduled Ancient Monument No. 69.

Listing NGR: TF1581709486

 

 Source: English Heritage

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

  

 

 

A descriptive plaque alongside reads :

 DEEPING ST JAMES CROSS
is a listed ancient monument built in the 15th century to serve the market centre of the village.
In 1819 it was converted to a lock-up to house three people overnight, before being take
to the magistrate next morning. The oak door on the north side reveals, through the bars, the
stone seats with chains. Between those bars a long spouted tea kettle was thrust - if you were
lucky!  A parish-pump on the east side existed well into the last century. In 1999 the Cross area was refurbished and duly opened by John Timson, author and broadcaster.

Photo by Richard Croft 

 

© Copyright Richard Croft and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

 

I am grateful to Richard Croft for the use of his Geograph photograph.

 

 

 

 

 

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The tiny lock-up at Digby was originally a well head and as a lock-up must have been very cramped with no room for a bench. It is situated in Church Street and dates to the 17th century.

 

 

 



 



DIGBY

Photo by Roy Pledger

 

It was Grade 11 listed 23.11.1951 (No.437458) and described as :

 

 

DIGBY CHURCH STREET TF 05 SE (south side) 4/27 Village Lock-up 23.11.51 GV II Lock-up formerly wellhead. C17 restored C20. Limestone ashlar. Circular in plan, standing 2 metres high with an ogee cap surmounted by a ball finial. A single doorway with a plank door, and moulded chamfered ashlar jambs.

 

 Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

 

 

Photo by Richard Croft with expressed permission

 

© Copyright Richard Croft and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

 

I am grateful to Richard Croft for the use of his Geograph photograph.

 

 

 

 

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LEICESTERSHIRE. Lock-ups at Barrow on Soar, Quorn and Swithland..

These are three more contrasting lock-ups in Leicestershire.

The lock-up at Barrow on Soar is known as the Round House, a brick built octagonal building with a grey slate roof. It is situated in Beveridge Street, LE12 8PR and dates to 1827 (datestone). It was later used to house the village fire engine and then as a hearse house for the village bier. It has been renovated and is used as an exhibition centre.



BARROW ON SOAR

OS Grid Reference: SK5765017533
OS Grid Coordinates: 457650, 317533
Latitude/Longitude: 52.7523, -1.1473
 

Photo by Judith Rogers with expressed permission.

 

I am grateful to Judith Rodgers of Barrow on Soar Heritage Group for allowing me to copy her photograph.

 

 

It was Grade 11 listed 1.6.1966 (No.189271) and described as :

 

Hearse house and lock-up. Dated 1827 over the door. Small single storey
octagonal brick building, with slate roof with stone cap. Wide double doorway
on one side, with brick arched head, the entrance front chamfered outwards
at the angles. Two small barred windows with brick arched heads.
Listing NGR: SK5765017533

 

Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

In the 1851 census it was described as the Parish Prison

and the constable at the time was Wm Bryan.

 

 

 

 

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The lock-up at Quorn was converted into public toilets and subsequently into commercial premises.

It was originally on the village green which is now part of a commercial refurbishment scheme off Station Road, LE12 8BS.

 

QUORN

Grid Reference	SK5621316537

 

Photo's courtesy of Sue Templeman

 

The Old Lock-up - then and now

The old lock up was built on the village green in the early 1800s as the village gaol, and later housed Quorn’s fire engine. By the 1920s it had fallen into disuse, but after much local debate was converted into a public convenience and was used as such until the 1960s when the new toilets were built. The older of the two photographs was only taken in the early 1990s, after the building had been leased to the Gas Board, but had again been found surplus to requirements.

These photographs are interesting, not only for the changes to the lock-up, but also to see what has happened in the background. In the early photograph, all the buildings at the back were owned by Wright’s factory. This particular part of the factory area has since been sold and developed as housing. The distinctive mill chimney on the left was taken down in late 1990s. Before the main mill building (on the right) was converted to apartments, it was reduced by one storey. This seems difficult to believe looking at it today, but is very clear when the photographs are compared.

The old lock up is owned by Townlands Charity, leased to Quorn Parish Council and since the 1990s has been used for a take-away pizza business. In 2010 this grade II listed building was restored as part of the Stafford Orchard park refurbishment scheme.

 

I am grateful to Sue Templeman of Quorn Village Museum for allowing me to copy these photographs and information.

www.quornmuseum.com

 

 

 

It was Grade 11 listed 12.10.1984 (No.494857) and described as :

 

 Lock up and fire engine house, now used by EM as store, early C19. Whitewashed brick with plinth, angle pilaster strips, moulded brick eaves and Welsh slate hipped roof. One storey. Small central projecting section with door and a small barred 1 light on either of its sides. A further small barred window either side. On left side carriage doors, door and similar window. On right side a door and 2 blocked windows. Further small window to rear .

 Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

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There are two round towers at Swithland which were originally corner towers in the walls of Old Swithland Hall. Both are said to have been converted into use as lock-ups.

The first one is situated in the garden of 173 Main Street, LE12 8TQ and it dates to the 18th century.

SWITHLAND

Photo by Alan Simkins on Geograph

OS Grid Reference: SK5526412968
OS Grid Coordinates: 455264, 312968
Latitude/Longitude: 52.7116, -1.1834

© Copyright Alan Simkins and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

It was Grade 11 listed 1.6.1966 (No.189125) and described as :

 Gazebo or lock-up probably of C18. Granite and slate rubble stone with pointed
Swithland slate roof. Small circular tower of 2 storeys. Door with slate lintel
and brick surround in base and door, small 1-light openings and tiny
slits above. Generally said locally to be a lock-up, but as there is a
pair at opposite ends of site of Old Swithland Hall, it is more likely that they
are folly boundary towers or gazebos .
Listing NGR: SK5526412968

 Source: English Heritage

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

 

The second one is situated at the corner of Hall Farm, Main Street, LE12 8TJ
and also dates to the 18th century.

SWITHLAND

OS Grid Reference: SK5570912827
OS Grid Coordinates: 455709, 312827
Latitude/Longitude: 52.7103, -1.1768

Photo by Jeff Tomlinson on Geograph

© Copyright Jeff Tomlinson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence


It was Grade 11 listed 1.6.1966 (No.189126) and described as :
 

 Gazebo, or lock-up, and walls probably of C18, with C19 outhouse.

Gazebo of granite and slate rubble stone with pointed Swithland slate roof. Small
circular tower of 2 storeys. Door in base and door, small 1-light openings
and tiny slits above. Generally said locally to be a lock-up but as there
is a pair at opposite ends of site of Old Swithland Hall, it is more likely
that they are folly boundary towers or gazebos. 2 granite and slate rubble
stone walls c3m high extend from gazebo at right angles to each other to
stable (listed separately) and barn of 1750 (listed separately) .
Listing NGR: SK5570912827
 

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


I am grateful to Alan Simkins and Jeff Tomlinson for the use of their Geograph photographs.

 

  

 

 

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LEICESTERSHIRE. Lock-ups at Breedon on the Hill, Packington & Worthington

These three lock-ups in North West Leicestershire are of similar design to the those at Smisby and Ticknall, with their conical roofs.

The lock-up at Breedon on the Hill is situated alongside the old animal pound at 19 Main Street, DE73 8AN and dates to the 18th century.

 

BREEDON ON THE HILL

 

OS Grid Reference: SK4066822904
OS Grid Coordinates: 440668, 322904
Latitude/Longitude: 52.8022, -1.3982

 

Photo by Roy Pledger

 

 

It was Grade 11 listed 29..12.1952 (No.358070) and described as :

 

 Lock-up with small attached pound. Probably C18. Rubble stone. Lock-up is

circular, with conical stone roof and wrought iron weathervane with later cock

finial. Old board and stud door with pierced metal grille and long strap

hinges. No windows. Pound, to left, is irregularly shaped and has walls about

2 m high, with dressed stone coping. Incorporated in wall to street is a frag-

ment of moulded C12 masonry with dogtooth ornament. C20 wooden gate .

Listing NGR: SK4066822904 

 

Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Mark on Geograph with thanks

 



© Copyright Mark and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence


 

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The lock-up at Packington is similar but brick built and dates to the 18th century.

It is situated in Ashby Road, LE65 1TD.

 

 

 

 

PACKINGTON

OS Grid Reference: SK3617414852
OS Grid Coordinates: 436174, 314852
Latitude/Longitude: 52.7301, -1.4657
 

Photo's by Roy Pledger

 

 

A plaque on the door reads :

' The Countess of Loudoun

Donate This Building

To The Village of Packington

By Deed of Gift In 1997'

 

 

It was Grade 11 listed 24.11.1965 (No.187946) and described as :

 

 Lock-up of C18. Small red brick 1 storey building of octagonal plan with
pyramidal octagonal brick roof. Stone and stone ball finial. Stone
string course between walls and roof. Rounded arch doorway in front
angle contains C20 door .
Listing NGR: SK3617414852

Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

 

 

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Similar again is the brick built lock-up or Round House, at Worthington, which is situated at the junction of Church Lane and St Mathew's Avenue, LE65 1 SH. It dates to the late 18th century.

It is an Ancient Scheduled Monument.

 

 

 

WORTHINGTON

OS Grid Reference: SK4081720633
OS Grid Coordinates: 440817, 320633
Latitude/Longitude: 52.7817, -1.3963
 

Photo's by Roy Pledger

 

It was Grade 11 listed 24.11.1965 (No.187857) and described as :



 Lock up. Probably late C18. Brick throughout. One low octagonal storey

with a single plain doorway, & tall octagonal pyramidal brick roof on a stone
oversailing course, & capped by stone crown
Listing NGR: SK4081720633

Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

There is a discriptive plaque on the door :

 

 

 

.

A leaflet,

Produced and printed by North West Leicestershire District Council In conjunction with

Worthington Parish Council is available at the local shop,  See :

 

www.nwleics.gov.uk/files/documents/worthington_round_house/Worthington_R…

 

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DERBYSHIRE. Lock-ups at Sandiacre, Smisby, Ticknall and Swarkestone

Very often village lock-ups were situated in or close to the village animal pound.

This is the case at Sandiacre where the pound and the lock-up are intact. 

The complex is situated at 44 Church Street, NG19 5DZ.

It dates to 1660 and was rebuilt in the late 18th century.

It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.




SANDIACRE

OS Grid Reference: SK4794237077
OS Grid Coordinates: 447942, 337077
Latitude/Longitude: 52.9290, -1.2882


Photo's by Garth Newton

© Copyright Garth Newton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence


It was Grade 11 listed 10.11.1967 (No.822922) and described as :

Village lock-up and pound. 1660, rebuilt in late C18. Sandstone
ashlar with sandstone dressings and pyramidal plain tile roof,
plus eaves band. Small square lock-up building about 12 feet
high with plank door to west face and two small windows to south
face, one above the other. Attached to south side is a tall
ashlar wall with rounded copings which curves round to east
forming a pound. Over the door is a plaque inscribed 'Erected
as a village lock-up and pound for the imprisonment of stray
animals about the year '1660 AD'. This is also an Ancient
Monument .
Listing NGR: SK4794237077

Source: English Heritage

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

 

 

I am grateful to Garth Newton for the use of his Geograph photographs

 

 

 

 

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The  lock-up at Smisby is typical of a handful in this area of South Derbyshire and North Leicestershire with a distinctive style of high tapering roof. Known as The Jug, it is situated at 3 Main Street, LE65 2TN and it dates to the late 18th century.

 

 

 

 

SMISBY

OS Grid Reference: SK3486919083
OS Grid Coordinates: 434869, 319083
Latitude/Longitude: 52.7682, -1.4846
 

Photo by Roy Pledger

 

 

It was Grade 11* listed 19.1.1967 (No.82879) and described as :

 

 



Lock up. Late C18. Red brick with sandstone dressings. Small
polygonal building with a four-centred arched doorway on the
north side with studded plank door. Tall tapering octagonal
upper part, of brick with stone bands at the base and the top.
Surmounted by a ball finial .
Listing NGR: SK3486919083
 

Source: English Heritage

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

 

Smisby village website - www.smisby.org.uk  relates :

' Also known as a jug, or roundhouse, lock-ups are relics of the past. The early 18th century village lock-up was used to lock up drunks and minor lawbreakers until they had cooled off, or while waiting escourt to Derby Court. It was also used to house paupers and vagrants on a temporary basis. The Smisby lockup is octagonal in shape, brick built with tiled spire roof and and has a heavy studded door. Other examples can be found at Ticknall, Breedon and at Alton and are of similar design - circular, without a window, a conical roof and a heavy door (there are around 200 surviving roundhouses in the country. Most date from the 17th and 18th century).

The village once had three pubs of which the Smisby Arms (formerly The Nelson) and the Annwell Inn (formerly Mother Hubbards, and The Malt Shovel before that) continue with a lively trade. However, in leaner times The Three Tuns just down the Main Street had insufficient trade and became a private dwelling. Perhaps with a population once around 300 and three pubs, this was sufficient to fill the lock-up frequently '.

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The lock-up at Ticknall is almost a fairy tale building and even has a fireplace.  Situated at 11 Main Street, DE73 1JZ, it dates to the late 18th century.

 

It is said that in the 19th century, Eliza Soar was the landlady of the Staff of Life pub in the village and apparently her door key also fitted that of the lock-up. When the village constable had gone to bed, Eliza could be persuaded to release any incumbent of the lock-up.

 

 

 



 

 

TICKNALL

OS Grid Reference: SK3515323908
OS Grid Coordinates: 435153, 323908
Latitude/Longitude: 52.8116, -1.4799
 

Photo by Roy Pledger

 

 

It was Grade 11* listed 19.1.1967 (No.82826) and described as :

 Lock-up. Late C18. Red brick with sandstone dressings. Small

octagonal structure with a doorway to south with stone lintel
and jambs. Studded plank door. Chamfered stringcourse at the
base of the octagonal brick spire. The interior has a
fireplace
.Listing NGR: SK3515323908

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

 

 'The lockup was built in 1809 for the overnight accommodation of people arrested in the village before being carted off to Derby. However it became obsolete in 1850.

There are over 200 similar constructions in Britain and nearby ones are visible at Smisby and Breedon on the Hill. All are of a similar design, round without a window, with a conical roof and a heavy door. Ticknall's was constructed with stone, bricks and lime mortar.

The inventory shows; carriage of lime 2s.6d, to John Asher going twice to Melbourne for stones 10s and to Mr G Hutchinson for Lime 18s.9d.

The entries for 10 and 21 October 1809 also records who undertook the work and how long it took. One was Mr G Orton for work at the round house £1 and John Illsley received a total of 14s for 7d for other building work. The village blacksmith, Henry Minion did the iron work and Mr Dickens did the carpentry. The total costs were £25.19.11.

The building became obsolete in 1850 and was used as a Home Guard arms store during the Second World War and since then for storing road sweeping tools. It is now a Grade 11 Listed building '.

 www.thestaffoflife.co.uk/villagehistory.php

 

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I understand that there was a lock-up at Swarkestone near to the pub. Now just a pile of stones waiting to be rebuilt?





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DERBYSHIRE. Lock-ups at Alfreton, Cromford and Curbar.

 Moving over into Derbyshire I have located just six remaining lock-ups, although the one at Curbar leaves some doubt and may or may not have been a lock-up as we shall see.

The lock-up at Alfreton, known as The House of Confinement, is situated in

King Street, DE55 7AG on the A61 through the village.

According to web site Derbyshire UK, it dates to 1820.



 

ALFRETON

 

Photo by Roy Pledger

 

 

 

It was Grade 11 listed 13.7.1966 (No.79063) and described as :

 

' Parish lock-up. Mid C18. Ashlar with shallow pitched roof of large stone slabs
plus stone slab ridge stack. Single storey and 2 bays. Gabled street elevation
has central semicircular headed doorcase with wide raised surround, raised keystone
and studded wooden door. Above is a raised plaque inscribed 'House of Confinement'.
To either side there are circular openings with raised plain surrounds. Interior
has central corridor with cells to either side. Unusually large example of village
lock-up '.

Source: English Heritage

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

 

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The lock-up at Crich was under the old Parish Rooms and eventually became toilets.

 

www.crichparish.co.uk  tells us :

 

'There was of course a village prison (noted in the 1839 Parish Survey), where more serious sinners were held. This was a small dark sparse room under the "old" Parish Rooms, which was eventually used as a toilet before improvement of the buildings occurred'.

The website also gives a good account of Law and Order in Crich and in the country in  general with an article by Dr J.G.Dawes, who also relates:

'The Village Pound, where stray animals were restrained under the control of the Constable was also itemised in the 1839 rating Survey. It was opposite and to the south of the Church, where there is, today, a house called 'Penfold' - the local name of the pound. In it there is a strongly built room with no windows which, it is believed, was used as a lock-up by village constables'

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The lock-up at Cromford is situated off Cromford Hill at the rear of

21 Swift's Hollow, DE4 3RF and dates to 1790.

It is now PRIVATE PROPERTY.

 

 

 



CROMFORD

 

Photo by Roy Pledger

It was Grade 11 listed 23.3.1988 (No.429968) and described as :

 

 

' Lock-Up with keeper's accommodation above, now a garage and store. 1790.
Coursed rubble with ashlar dressings. Slate roof with 2 brick stacks.
2 storey. 5 bay front. Right-hand doorway with plank door, reached up
2 steps with large square lintel. To the left a 2 light flush mullion
window, and beyond another similar door and beyond again another 2 light
flush mullion window. To the left an inserted pair of garage doors.
Above to the right a 2 light window which has lost its flush mullion,
and to the left 2 half glazed loft doors. The north-west gable front
has an upper 3 light flush mullion window with its original wooden glazing
bars. The interior on the ground floor contains 2 lock-up cells with
iron doors '.

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

 

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The supposed lock-up at Curbar, known locally as The Roundhouse, is situated in a PRIVATE GARDEN near the village and can be seen from a nearby public footpath.
It has been converted into a cottage or garden house and it dates to 1780.

 

 



 

CURBAR

 

Photo by David Dunford

with expressed permission.

 

 © Copyright David Dunford and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

 

 

I am grateful to David for the use of his Geograph photograph.

 

 

In ' Tales from The Round House' Julie Bunting tells us that :
' the building dates from around 1780 and its history has been handed down by word of mouth. The fact that it has often been referred to as Curbar lock-up may indicate that there is some truth behind the story that it was used long ago as a temporary jail, perhaps an overnight stop, for law breakers being conveyed to a more secure prison. Indeed the windows were once barred and Curbar does lie roughly half-way along a very old route connecting Tideswell and Chesterfield, each of which formerly had a proper jailhouse. However, according to other information handed down the generations, the short term inmates were usually lead miners being conveyed to Derby Assizes because their offences could not be dealt with at  Barmote Courts.'

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It has also been suggested that the building was a 'pest house', but there is a school of thought which says that it was in fact a 'bath house' for the nearby Cliff College which is given credence by the fact that there is a substantial stone water cistern nearby.
What is certain is that it was eventually converted into a PRIVATE DWELLING, albeit just one up and one down, for which the chimney may have been added.

PLEASE RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY

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