Buildings of Interest

Description

"An account of the building's original design and construction was given by The Wigan Examiner in its edition of 14 May 1904:

'The new police station for Ashton, which has been erected in Old-road, was opened this week. The building has been in course of erection for eighteen months, and is on land which was purchased from the trustees of the Congregational Chapel, the area including the “Manse”, which has been sub-let, and was purchased with the view, should the necessity arise, to the building of a court house. The premises were designed by the county architect, Mr. Henry Littler, and are in the Gothic Style of architecture. The bricks are from the Huncoat Plastic Brick and Terra-cotta Company, and the stone is from the Darley Dale Quarries, being similar to that [from] which the St George's Hall and Technical Institute, Liverpool, are built. The interior glazed bricks are from Shaw and Company, Blackburn. The stonework was erected by Mr M Winnard, Wigan, and the plumping and painting was carried out by Messrs W Gaskell and Sons, Wigan. Mr Peter Pennington, Ashton, was the sole contractor, and Mr T Parker was the clerk of the works.

The building comprises an inspector's house and a sergeant's house, each of which contains three bedrooms and a large bathroom, with a sitting room, kitchen, pantry, and scullery, with the usual offices. There is also accommodation for eight single men and a married constable. A weights and measures office has also been erected in the rear. Between this office and the main building is a large drill ground. The offices on the ground floor are a private office for the inspector, a large office for general purposes, and mess-room for the single constables. There are four cells at the station. The usual offices are provided for the single men in the form of a scullery and mess-room, whilst there has been provided in the basement a special chamber for the drying of clothes. The sleeping accommodation for the single men is in the form of cubicles, each man having a single bedroom with wardrobe and drawers. There is also a range of lavatories with serviceable bath. The hot water system, by means of which the whole of the buildings are heated, has been installed by Messrs A Seward and Co., Lancaster”.

From 2004 functions and personnel were gradually transferred to a new police station at Bamfurlong, and in 2012 the Old Road building was put up for auction. The new owner has restored the exteriors of the main- and out-buildings and added a small rear extension. Internally, the location now comprises 8 dwellings: 4 houses and 2 apartments occupy the main building and extension whilst the former garages have been converted into 2 single-storey bungalows."

Text and images by the Makerfield Rambler