Police Station

THORPE LE SOKEN

TM 1822 LONDERMERE ROAD 1874/9/10007 Police Station 28-JUN-00

II

Police Station and magistrates' court. 1840s. Red brick with gault brick dressings; slate roofs. EXTERIOR: nearly symmetrical 2-storey east elevation. Central advanced gable with canted bay to ground floor with 2-light transomed stone mullioned window and single-light side windows. One 2-light stone mullioned window above. Gable with kneelers and Essex County coat of arms. Recessed gabled bays right and left, each with one gabled porch on kneelers, with a moulded 4-centred arch and an inner ledged plank door. One 2-light stone mullioned window above. Further recessed bays right and left, that to north with one 2-light mullioned and transomed window to ground floor, to south with a single-storey hipped outshut lit through a similar window. 5 ridge stacks with rectangular plinths and 2 or 3 diamond flues with gault brick edging. North and south gables with one 2-light transomed casement to ground floor and one 2-light untransomed casement to first floor. Rear elevation with single-storey office to north with single-light casements. Courtroom to south with one 2-light mullioned window to north gable and 2 small single-light casements to west, separated by a plank door. 3 6/6 horned sashes to single-storey west extension. Cell block in ground floor of main range: 2 heavily barred windows in granite surrounds light the cell passage. 3 steel mid C20 casements to first floor. INTERIOR: 4-panelled doors to ground floor. 2 stick-baluster staircases located adjacent to the 2 east entrances doorways, separated by the main office. Office with C20 counter. 2 holding cells opening off secure corridor. Corridor with an inner iron lattice door and an outer studded plank timber door. Passage is barrel vaulted, with squinches over the 2 west windows. 2 water cisterns for toilet flushing. Cast-iron stove at north end of passage. Each cell with studded timber outer door and iron lattice inner door, secured with sliding bolts built into the masonry. Corridor divided into 2 areas by a further studded timber door. Each cell with ventilation grille over doors, a flat timber bed incorporating a flushing toilet under a hinged lid. Barrel-vaulted ceilings. Courtroom with raised dais, barrel vaulted ceiling and plaster cornices. One cast-iron register insert to fireplace.

Listing NGR: TM1807922412