Building record 1160/467/1 - Mounts Police Station and Magistrates Court, Campbell Square (& Site of WWII Keep)

Police station and Courthouse built 1938-41 by JC Prestwich and Sons. Ashlar stone, not in any period type, severely block-shaped. Under the Defended Localities system, it became necessary in early 1942 to establish a redoubt at Mounts Police Station.

{2} Under the Defended Localities system, it became necessary in early 1942 to establish a Keep. According to Barnes this was intended to be a ralying and to be a last ditch defensive position for the Battalion. [a keep or keeps would have been established at all Nodal points for last ditch defence]. In the event a single keep would not have been big enough so three were designated. They wereThe Drill Hall in Clare Street, the Barracks in Barrack Road and the new Police Station in the Mounts.

{5} The keep was manned by members of a new company, F Company of the 12th Northamptonshire Battalion Home Guard. The new company was formed from No.9 Platoon of C Company, their HQ being the Lord Raglan public house.

{9} Police station and Courthouse built 1938-41 by JC Prestwich and Sons. Ashlar stone, not in any period type, severely block-shaped.

<1> 1938, PLANS, (checked) (Plan). SNN58268.

<2> HOLLOWELL S., 1998, Defence of Britain Recording Forms, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN51404.

<3> Barnes L.E., 1946, History of the 12th Northamptonshire Battalion Home Guard 1940-1944, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN55036.

<4> Holloway B.G., 1949, The Northamptonshire Home Guard 1940-45, (unchecked) (Book). SNN55038.

<5> Cadman G., 2014, 20th Century Military Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Logs 1, 2 & 3, (checked) (Report). SNN104868.

<6> Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources (Database). SNN112922.

<7> Historic England, Undated, Defence of Britain, DEB01 (Archive). SNN112947.

<8> Historic England, Undated, Police Station and Northampton Magistrates Court, Campbell Square, Northampton, BF109704 (Archive). SNN113494.

<9> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 443 (Book). SNN111989.

<10> West Northamptonshire Council, 2024, Local Heritage List, November 2024, p. 10 (Report). SNN116732.

Record last edited

Jun 17 2025 3:14PM