Building record MDO7983 - The Blind House and pump,Town Hall Lane, Swanage

Swanage town lock up built 1803, as described on a tablet above the doorway. It was first built on the north side of the tower of St Mary's Church. It was subsequently moved to the southwest corner of the churchyard, before being rebuilt on the present site. It is a small rectangular structure, 10 ft. by 8 ft., with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. It has ashlar walls and a stone-slated roof. A cast-iron pump surmounted by a ball finial, which stands beside the lock-up, is of the second quarter of the 19th century.

SZ 02997875. A small, rectangular, ashlar-built lock-up with a barrel-vaulted ceiling, standing immediately north of the town hall, was erected in 1803, as described on a tablet above the doorway. The door is nail-studded and the one small window is fitted with a grille. A cast-iron pump surmounted by a ball finial, which stands beside the lock-up, is of the second quarter of the 19th century. <1>

"SZ 029787. The Old Prison and Pump Scheduled". <2>

The Blind House is not in its original position. It was first built on the north side of the tower of St Mary's Church. It was subsequently moved to the southwest corner of the churchyard, before being rebuilt on the present site <3>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 293, No 5 (Monograph). SDO149.

'(5) LOCK-UP, immediately N. of Town Hall, with ashlar walls and stone-slated roof, is a small rectangular structure, 10 ft. by 8 ft., with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. It has a doorway in one end with a plain string-course and relieving arch above and a tablet inscribed 'Erected for the Prevention of Vice & Immorality by the Friends of Religion & good Order A.D. 1803'. The door is nail-studded and the one small window is fitted with a grill.
Pump, beside the lock-up, of cast iron surmounted by a finial with reeded base and ball top (Plate 63), is of the second quarter of the 19th century.'

<2> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 1), 83 (Monograph). SWX2598.

<3> Lewer, D. and Smale, D., 1994, Swanage Past, 65-66 (Monograph). SDO11511.

<4> DCMS, 1998, Scheduled Monument Notification 1998, 16-NOV-1998 (Scheduling record). SWX1137.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457483 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 4:53PM