Pinfold

Historical Background

The earliest known reference to the pinfold appears in the Constable’s Accounts for 1651, which record a payment of two shillings to George Jackson for timber to repair the structure, one shilling and fourpence to the workmen engaged in the repairs, and incidental expenses of fourpence for “drinke” and twopence for nails.[1] Minor maintenance costs recur in subsequent years, although in 1665 a major refurbishment was undertaken, funded by a local levy.[2] When the Parish Council assumed the secular responsibilities of the vestry in 1894, one of its first actions was to take charge of parish property, including the pinfold.[3] In 1896 the Shardlow Rural District Council proposed building on the site, intending to erect a storage room for the street water van and a meeting place for the Parochial Committee.[4] A protracted dispute over ownership ensued. The Parish Council claimed the land was theirs, a position endorsed by the Local Government Board. Refusing to relinquish its claim, the Council effectively blocked the project, which was abandoned in October 1897.[5] In January 1899 the Parish Council attempted to sell the site to the owner of an adjoining property, again seeking guidance from the Local Government Board. A joint meeting of the Parish Council and the Rural District Council concluded that the legal costs involved in proving title would outweigh any proceeds from the sale. It was resolved that the matter be left in abeyance.[6] In 1909 the Parish Council drew attention to the dangerous condition of the wall or fence surrounding the pinfold.[7] Later that year, a proposal to use the site for a public urinal was rejected.[8] No further developments occurred for thirteen years, until June 1922, when the Rural District Council discussed the pinfold and a right of way across part of the site. The matter was referred to the Chairman and Surveyor for further investigation.[9] In January 1924 the Surveyor was instructed to purchase corrugated iron sheets to roof the pinfold.[10] This prompted a complaint from Mr W. Naylor of Pinfold Lane, who requested that the Council vacate the site and cease using it to deposit road materials. The Council responded that they had used the site without restriction for the previous twenty years and asked Naylor to remove a fence he had erected across it.[11] In April of the same year, the Lord of the Manor, Major Holden, intervened, asserting that the pinfold was part of his estate and had been used by the Council without permission from himself or his trustees.[12] No further reference to the pinfold appears after this date, and it may be assumed that the site was quietly incorporated into the land later sold for the construction of the Carr Fastener factory, and subsequently redeveloped as the Aldi supermarket.