Image: Watchman's hut and lock-up - Petersham Road, Petersham, London

Description: Watchman's hut and lock-up, Petersham, London, erected 1787. Constructed by the order of the local vestry, it served as a shelter for the well-armed parish constable or watchman who protected the village from the highwaymen active on the road at the time. The building doubled as a temporary prison, prior to the formation of the Metropolitan Police in 1829. A walled pound in front of the hut served to enclose stray cattle. Preserved by the Ancient Monuments Committee and Surrey County Council in 1955, it was Grade II listed 25 June 1983, and added to English Heritage's list of important buildings at risk in 1984. The lock-up has been preserved by the action of the local Ham and Petersham Association with support from the Environment Trust and Historic Buildings Trust.
Title: Watchman's hut and lock-up - Petersham Road, Petersham, London
Credit: Own work
Author: KenBailey
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Attribution Required?: Yes