Leyland police station

Leyland Police Station was originally located on Towngate in Leyland, Lancashire. In 1882 a new police station was built on Golden Hill.

The police station was built around 100 yards from the newly constructed Leyland railway station, on the West Coast Mainline, for the convenience of the officials coming to the courts that were held in the court room on the first floor of this building. A modern police station was latterly rebuilt n Towngate as the importance of the railway decreased,.

Architecture

This building represents a significant period in the history of Leyland. The civic heart of the town moved to outskirts of the town with the arrival of the railway and this is reflected in the architecture of the buildings in this area.

The architecture of the building resembles that of those built in the same era in Bamber Bridge, Croston and Chorley. Chorley police station was knocked down in order to make way for the modern building which now stands in its place and this marked a significant shift in the architecture of municipal buildings in the UK.

Local history and legend

The street down the side of the station was named Hewitt after one of the first inspectors [ [http://www.houghton59.fsnet.co.uk/fest%2002.htm Down in Leyland] ] .

Local legend persists that a police officer committed suicide within the police station and due to speculation and reported sightings, the stairway to the room where he committed suicide was removed and the entrance completely blocked off.

Current use

The police station has been transferred to a new building in Lancaster Gate but graffiti in the cells (which still exist today) record that there was still a working police station here in 1994.

The building has many remarkable features including three large crystal chandeliers. It is currently occupied and owned by Campbells Automotive Ltd [ [http://www.campbelluk.com/ Welcome to Campbell Automotive ] ] , having previously been owned by Chemtec Systems.

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