19th Century Prison History : 19th Century Prison Search

Wateringbury Lock-Up

Overview

Location   North end of Bow Road, near car park entrance,  Wateringbury

County   Kent

Year Opened   1812

Year Closed   1842

Century of Operation   1800-1899

Remarks   Present building Grade II listed. Built in 1840 as replacement for earlier lock-up on same site built in 1812. Used as a road menders' hut in 1985. Stocks were once adjacent (see separate listing). Taken over by parish council in 1896.

Wateringbury Lock-up, Exterior© Anne Logan (with kind permission)

Further information can be found at
https://www.prisonhistory.org/lockup/wateringbury-lock-up/

Descriptions

  • 'Lock-up C19,built against bank that now bounds car park. 3 sides of random rubble stone with flat roof of cement paving slabs. Arched doorway in northern face, the wooden dome damaged. Now used as road-menders hut.'
    Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 'Lock Up', Wateringbury, LEN1186252

  • 'The village Lockup (also known as The Cage) is sited at the top of Bow Road in front of the public car park and adjoining Pipers Garage. It is part ragstone construction and part brick, with a stone slab roof. The original building was of timber construction, with a wooden roof. It was built around 1812 from Paris rates. During the time of the Parish Constables it was used to detain prisoners until they could be taken before a Magistrate. At this time there were also stocks near the Cage. They are mentioned by George Newman in his book about Wateringbury and also in a letter written to Rev. Livett in 1896 by Henry Harris. This letter is among the Parish records held in the Centre for Kentish Studies. Around 1840 the timber building was replaced by the present building and the stocks were removed. In his letter Harris mentions that the rebuilding was required because a tramp detained for the theft of cherries escaped through the roof and was seen no more!'
    Syd Thomsett, 'Wateringbury People and Places', cited in 'The Village Lock-Up', Wateringbury Local History Society website (13 December 2012) (https://sites.google.com/site/wateringburylocalhistory/topics/crime/thevillagelockup)

  • 'This Grade II listed building was last used for custodial purposes in 1842'
    Plaque on building

Sources

  • Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 'Lock Up', Wateringbury, LEN1186252
    https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1186252
  • Roy's Blog, 'KENT. Lock-ups at Sandwich, Smarden, Wateringbury and Yalding.' (02 July 2013)
    http://roys-roy.blogspot.com/2013/07/kent-lock-ups-at-smarden-wateringbury.html
  • 'The Village Lock-Up', Wateringbury Local History Society website (13 December 2012)
    https://sites.google.com/site/wateringburylocalhistory/topics/crime/thevillagelockup