The Old Police Station & Whipping Post

When the Kirton House of Correction closed in 1873, some of the stonework and fittings from the prison were used to build a police station. This was completed by 1875 and it provided living accommodation for a police sergeant and his family and included an office, a cell and a small exercise yard.

The Police Station

The earliest photograph we have dates from 1884, you can see that not much has changed.

It was in use until a new police station was built in on South Cliff Road in 1965 when it was then sold as a private residence. It is a Grade II Listed building.

The Whipping Post

We believe that the whipping post was erected at the same time as the police station but, by then, it would just be for show as public whipping had been abolished.

The post can lay claim to being one of the smallest listed buildings, all that remains of the original post are the iron shackles.

It has its own information board so, as you walk down the hill, you can learn more.

Continue down Spa Hill. On the left you will see part of the old prison visible beyond the houses. This is where we are going next.

On the way you will see that some of the houses have stone walls as their boundary. These are the remains of the walls which bounded the prison fields and would originally have been much higher.

Turn into Church Street and then up Queen Street to The Priory.

Kirton House of Correction