Village lock-up

A village lock-up is a historic building once used for the temporary detention of people in England and Wales, mostly where official prisons or criminal courts were beyond easy walking distance.

The majority of surviving village lock-ups date from the 18th and 19th centuries when rural communities struggled to police thefts, burglaries, shootings, drunkenness, the obstruction of watchmen and the stealing of livestock.

[3] Over time they became synonymous with drunkenness and many references to this coupling can be found in famous works of literature, including Barnaby Rudge (1841) by Charles Dickens, and The Water-Babies (1863) by Charles Kingsley, which contains the line: An 1830 description of a lock-up in Taunton describes "... a hole into which drunken and bleeding men were thrust and allowed to remain until the following day when the constable with his staff of office take the poor, crippled and dirty wretches before a magistrate, followed by half the boys and idle fellows of the town".

[8] Barton-le-Clay,[9] Clophill,[10] Harrold,[11] Silsoe[12] Aldermaston,[13] Pangbourne[14] Westbury-on-Trym[15] Amersham,[16][a] Great Missenden,[17] Wendover,[18][19][a] West Wycombe[20][21][a] Broughton,[22] Burwell,[23] Coveney,[24] Eaton Socon,[25] Fen Drayton,[26] Fenstanton,[27] Litlington,[28] (Holywell-cum-)Needingworth,[29] Parson Drove,[30] Sawtry[31] Farndon,[32] Farnworth,[33] Kelsall,[34][a] Winsford[35] Lower Allithwaite[36] Alfreton,[37] Ashbourne?,[38] Curbar,[39][40] Cromford (Derwent Valley Mills),[41][42][a] Sandiacre,[43] Smisby,[44] Swarkestone (ruin),[45][46] Ticknall,[47] Wirksworth[7][48][a] Gillingham,[49] Lyme Regis,[50][51][a] Swanage[52][53] Barnard Castle,[54][55][a] Staindrop[56][a] Alfriston, Lewes, Pevensey[57] Bradwell-on-Sea,[59] Braintree,[60] Canewdon,[61] Great Bardfield,[62] Great Dunmow,[63] Orsett,[64] Steeple Bumpstead,[65] Thaxted (in Guildhall[66]),[67] Tollesbury[68] Bisley,[69] Bibury, Cirencester,[70] Moreton-in-Marsh, Stroud,[a] Thornbury,[71] Westerleigh[a] Cranford,[72][73] Hampstead,[a][74] Petersham[75] Easton (demolished),[76] Odiham[77] Bridstow,[78][79] Leintwardine,[a] Yarpole[a] Anstey,[80] Ashwell, Barley, Buntingford, Shenley[81] Dartford, Lenham, Wateringbury[82] Bury, North Meols, Poulton le Fylde?, Prescot Barrow-upon-Soar, Breedon-on-the-Hill, Castle Donington?, Packington,[83] Worthington Deeping St James, Digby[84] Everton,[85] Wavertree[86] Docking, Horsham St Faith, Great Yarmouth, Thetford?, Walsingham?

Weldon Stamfordham[87] Edwinstowe?, Mansfield Woodhouse?, Tuxford[88] Banbury,[a] Bicester,[a] Burford,[a] Filkins, Stonesfield, Wheatley[89] Prees[90] Bathford, Buckland Dinham,[91] Castle Cary, Frome, Kelston, Kilmersdon, Kingsbury Episcopi,[92] Mells,[93] Merriott, Monkton Combe,[94] Nunney,[95] Publow in Pensford,[96] Nether Stowey,[97] Watchett, Wells,[a] Wrington[a] Alton,[98] Gnosall, Penkridge,[99] Stafford: Forebridge[100] Sproughton, Stoke by Nayland, Woolpit East Grinstead[101][a] Charlwood,[102] Ewell, Lingfield Box, Bradford-on-Avon, Bromham,[103] Chippenham, Devizes, Great Bedwyn, Heytesbury, Hilperton, Lacock, Luckington,[104] Shrewton, Steeple Ashton, Trowbridge,[105] Warminster Addingham?, Fairburn, Illingworth, Heptonstall, Holmfirth (Holm Valley),[106] Hunmanby,[107] Workhouse Farm of Holme upon Spalding Moor[108] Horbury in Wakefield,[109] Kirkheaton, Luddenden, Nether Poppleton?, North Stainley?, Oswaldkirk, Rastrick, Rotherham, Seamer, Snaith,[110] Throp Arch, Topcliffe?, Wath-upon-Dearne[111][a] Bagillt?, Hawarden Barmouth, Clynnog Fawr