Blind houses are miniature lockups employed for the short term detention of miscreants. Although most could barely accommodate one person, often several detainees were locked up, possibly with a guard. There are over a hundred in England and have several names including round house, lockup or clink. They provided a place for the local constable to put drunks, vagrants, brawlers and disreputable women as well as those more serious offenders in transit to the county assizes. Windows are always absent, hence the name with light and ventilation coming only from tiny grilles. Most were free-standing, constructed of stone with heavy wooden nailed doors. Most Wiltshire blind houses date from the 18th century although there are couple older. More information can be found in Mary Delorme's excellent book, Curious Wiltshire.
Bromham is one of the two Wiltshire blinds house of wooden construction, based on brick, built into the church wall, but with a wooden door and walls under a heavy stone tile roof. When obsolete it was used as a coal store, but on my visit, as can be seen on the picture has been co-opted by the church for a nativity scene.
The north Wiltshire half of this series is owned by Hamfist and can be found at the following waypoints:
The list will be updated as more are added.
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Lacock GC1MRDF
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Bradford on Avon GC1MP4M
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Luckington GC1N2QP
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Malmesbury GCN2RK
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Castle Combe TBA
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