Former mid 19th century police station and court house, 'Old Police House' and 'Courtlands', now two houses, Maldon Road, Latchingdon (EHER 83285)

Now converted to two houses. A former police station built and opened in 1843. It originally comprised two cells, a guard room, superintendent's kitchen and parlour, bedrooms and social rooms for men stationed there. The complex was extende din 1850 to include a court house. The building was reverted to housing in 1902 with the construction of the police station in Southminster (EHER 49651).

The building is described as 'Police Station' on the 1st edition historic OS map. <1> Now two red brick houses with hipped slate-covered roofs, considerably altered. The police station part was one of the first to be built under the Rural Constabulary Act of 1839. In 1841 the land that it stands on was purchased from Samuel Clift. Mr Haywood, of Colchester, was commissioned to build the station out of bricks sourced from Richard Solly, of Mundon Hall Farm, at nine shillings per thousand (including delivery to the site). It was completed and formally opened in 1843 and consisted of two cells, a guard room, superintendent's kitchen and parlour, and bedrooms and social rooms for the men stationed at what became the Divisional Headquarters for all of the Dengie Hundred. In 1850 the complex was extended to include a co-located court house for Petty Sessions. With both buildings in place, in 1851 the residents included 34-year-old Supt Francis Knock, his wife Amelia (34), their seven children, a servant, plus PC William Peacock (31), his wife Susannah (24) and their three children. By 1867 the Dengie Division was run by Supt George Rutledge, with one inspector and 13 constables. In 1888 a further inspector and three sergeants were added to their number. However, Edward Arthur Fitch in his ‘History of Maldon and the River Blackwater’, published in 1894, states that the station was an “inconvenient police centre for the Dengie Division”. And so it came to pass that, in 1902, a new divisional headquarters and magistrates’ court was built at Southminster (EHER 49651). Latchingdon reverted to a residence and office for the local constable (Sgt Brand in 1921) and the building was still in use as such in 1930, with the remainder let to another tenant. At this time the county council desired to sell the whole property and the standing joint committee determined that the building was no longer fit for police purposes. <2>