Sunday 14 April 2013

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.

 
 
 
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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