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Our popular Bygone Burnley series with historian Roger Frost MBE has returned today with this video looking at the Red Lion Street area and a surviving section of former prison cells behind the Swan public house.

Respected local historian Roger reveals the history behind the ‘lock-up’, which can still be seen down an alleyway next to the Swan in St James’ Street, one of Burnley’s oldest pubs.

He said: “The Swan, which dates from around 1795, is one of the oldest buildings in the town centre

“The lock-up prison, which still has iron bars on the windows, was built in 1817 as Burnley’s lock-up prison. It’s the only part of the prison that stiull survives.

the Old Red Lion is on the extreme left. The corner of Red Lion Street can be seen on the right. In-between are the buildings which occupied the site of the Savoy Cinema and Café. The window, to the right of the gas lamp, was part of the Burnley lock-up prison

“It was built after a riot took place in 1817 which resulted in the gaoler being locked up in his own prison and several prisoners escaped. An earlier lock-up, located where the Charter Walk shopping centre is now, just off Newmarket Street, was almost destroyed in the riot.”

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Roger then looks around the corner to the area around Red Lion Street, once the location of the Savoy Cinema, which opened in 1922. It was here that the first sound movie was heard in Burnley, though that claim is disputed.

The building was replaced by a branch of Martin’s Bank and their logo survives on the building. Martin’s was later taken over by Barclays.

The building is currently ebing transformed into The Real Food Hall, a modern food court featuring an open-plan dining area, a licensed bar, and plans for a cinema and hotel.

Bygone Burnley: Red Lion Street and Swan lock-up prison, with historian Roger Frost MBE

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