Nation England
County Bedfordshire
Location Church Road Silsoe
Map location exact or closely approximate
Year opened 1796
Year closed unknown
Century of Operation 1700-1799, 1800-1899
Building Type Lock Up
Remarks Date on the plaque says 1796 but otherwise unverified. Grade II listed lock up.
'The old pound [sic] at Silsoe, once the old smithy, is now used as a battery house for chickens. It was, in early days used to lock up malefactors.'
Bedfordshire Archives, Andrew Underwood Collection, photograph of Silsoe lock up in 1961 with note attached, X291/197/56. (Cited on Silsoe Community Archives pages hosted by Bedfordshire Archives.)
'Village lock-up. C20 plaque on door records date 1796. Coursed ironstone. Cement render over tiled roof. Octagonal plan with conical roof. E elevation has pointed arched doorway. Pointed arched oak door has strap hinges and studs.'
Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 'Village lock up, Silsoe, LEN 1113777'
We don’t have any historical or contemporary pictures of this lock-up at present. If you could give us one, or maybe several, we would be delighted! Follow this link to submit an image of this lock-up. For more information on how to photograph lock ups for the purposes of historical research, please see our User Guide.
Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service
Catalogue ref: SJV10
Collection: Standing Joint Committee (police)
Description: Parish Cages: correspondence as to ownership; condition and for purpose used. Most appear to belong to the parish or were privately owned; ref to Silsoe - building the property of Lord Cowper, under control of parish vestry
Dates: 1892
Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service
Catalogue ref: X291/197/56
Collection: Andrew Underwood Collection
Description: Photographs of Ampthill and District which appeared in Ampthill News. The Old Pound at Silsoe
Dates: 1961
Archive name: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service
Catalogue ref: P54/12/1
Collection: Silsoe Parish Records
Description: Overseers' Account Book. Contains references to Silsoe lock up (e.g. Straw for the cage on 11 June 1821; and repairs to the cage
Dates: 1771-1837
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