Ashwell Lock-Up

Overview

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Overview

Alternative Names   Ashwell Cage

Nation   England

County   Hertfordshire

Location   In garden of 20 Hodwell,  Ashwell

Map location   exact or closely approximate

Year opened   1800

Year closed   c.1910

Century of Operation   1800-1899, 1900-1999

Building Type   Lock-Up

Remarks   Grade II listed. Built 1800. Lock-up use discontinued early 20th century. Thereafter used as fire engine house. See also David Short's article on Ashwell Lock-Up in the 'Your Stories' section of this website. Used as a lock-up by officers of the newly-formed Hertfordshire Constabulary in 1842.

Descriptions

'Village lock-up or cage. Early-mid C19. Small square building with clunch walls and slate pyramid roof. On W elevation is original studded plank door in oak frame. Barred iron grill above. Flat wooden eaves.'

Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 'Village Lock-Up in Garden of Number 20' Hodwell, Ashwell, LEN1102712

'...built in 1800' 'It is a small square building with a slate pyramid roof, and with its original studded plank door in an oak frame, and a barred iron grille above.' After a prisoner tunnelled out, 'the authorities decided the lock up was no longer fit for purpose. It was used as a lock-up until the early years of the 20th century, and thereafter housed the parish fire engine'

Ashwell Village Website, 'The Lock Up Gaol'

'Rural Police. Returns...[of] the Number of Station Houses and Strong Rooms, and the Expense of Building, Furnishing, and Repairing and Maintaining the same...Ashwell cage. Expense of fitting up, £2. 16s. No annual rent.'

British Parliamentary Papers 1842, 'Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons: Twenty Volumes. (7.) Crime. Police. Vol. XXXII. Rural Police', p.9.

Featured Images

  • Ashwell LockupPhoto © Paul Shreeve (cc-by-sa/2.0)

SOURCES

    Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 'Village Lock-Up in Garden of Number 20' Hodwell, Ashwell, LEN1102712

  • https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1102712
  • Roy's Blog, 'HERTFORDSHIRE. Lock-ups at Anstey, Ashwell, Barley, Buntingford and Shenley.' (26 June 2013)

  • http://roys-roy.blogspot.com/2013/06/lock-ups-at-anstey-ashwell-barley.html
  • Ashwell Village Website, 'The Lock Up Gaol'

  • https://www.ashwell.gov.uk/places/the-lock-up-gaol/
  • British Parliamentary Papers 1842, 'Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons: Twenty Volumes. (7.) Crime. Police. Vol. XXXII. Rural Police', p.9.

  • Google Books

Comments

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