New Prison
Encyclopedia
The New Prison was a prison
located in the Clerkenwell
area of central London
between c.1617 and 1877 (it should not be confused with the New Gaol, another name sometimes applied to Horsemonger Lane Gaol
in Southwark
, south London).
The New Prison was used to house prisoners committed for examination before the police magistrate
s, for trial at the sessions, for want of bail, and occasionally on summary conviction.
It was rebuilt three times: in 1773, 1818 (after being burnt down in the Gordon Riots
of 1780), and in 1847. At this time it was renamed the Clerkenwell House of Detention, also known as Clerkenwell Prison
.
Next-door was another prison, the Clerkenwell Bridewell
for convicted criminals, built in around 1615. This closed in 1794, being superseded by nearby Coldbath Fields Prison
.
Today, the site of the New Prison and the Clerkenwell Bridewell is occupied by the former Hugh Myddleton
School (1893-c.1960), in Bowling Green Lane. A number of the original underground spaces and cells remain and are used for office space or storage. A 2007 adaptation of Oliver Twist
used these spaces for filming in the July 2007.
In 2009, the site was being redeveloped by developer Sans Walk, and the vaults of the building (formerly used for the reception of prisoners, medical examination and baths as well as kitchens) were accessed by members of the IStructE History Study Group.
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
located in the Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
area of central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
between c.1617 and 1877 (it should not be confused with the New Gaol, another name sometimes applied to Horsemonger Lane Gaol
Horsemonger Lane Gaol
Horsemonger Lane Gaol was a prison close to present-day Newington Causeway in Southwark, south London.-History:...
in Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, south London).
The New Prison was used to house prisoners committed for examination before the police magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
s, for trial at the sessions, for want of bail, and occasionally on summary conviction.
It was rebuilt three times: in 1773, 1818 (after being burnt down in the Gordon Riots
Gordon Riots
The Gordon Riots of 1780 were an anti-Catholic protest against the Papists Act 1778.The Popery Act 1698 had imposed a number of penalties and disabilities on Roman Catholics in England; the 1778 act eliminated some of these. An initial peaceful protest led on to widespread rioting and looting and...
of 1780), and in 1847. At this time it was renamed the Clerkenwell House of Detention, also known as Clerkenwell Prison
Clerkenwell Prison
Clerkenwell Prison, also known as the Clerkenwell House of Detention or Middlesex House of Detention was a prison in Clerkenwell, London...
.
Next-door was another prison, the Clerkenwell Bridewell
Clerkenwell Bridewell
Clerkenwell Bridewell was a prison located in the Clerkenwell area, immediately north of the City of London , between c.1615 and 1794, when it was superseded by the nearby Coldbath Fields Prison in Mount Pleasant...
for convicted criminals, built in around 1615. This closed in 1794, being superseded by nearby Coldbath Fields Prison
Coldbath Fields Prison
Coldbath Fields Prison was a prison in the Mount Pleasant area of Clerkenwell, London. Founded during the reign of James I , the prison was completely rebuilt in 1794 and extended in 1850. It was used to house prisoners on short sentences of up to two years...
.
Modern use of building remnants
During the Second World War part of the basement was altered to form a bomb shelter.Today, the site of the New Prison and the Clerkenwell Bridewell is occupied by the former Hugh Myddleton
Hugh Myddleton
Sir Hugh Myddelton , 1st Baronet was a Welsh goldsmith, clothmaker, banker, entrepreneur, mine-owner and self-taught engineer...
School (1893-c.1960), in Bowling Green Lane. A number of the original underground spaces and cells remain and are used for office space or storage. A 2007 adaptation of Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens, published by Richard Bentley in 1838. The story is about an orphan Oliver Twist, who endures a miserable existence in a workhouse and then is placed with an undertaker. He escapes and travels to...
used these spaces for filming in the July 2007.
In 2009, the site was being redeveloped by developer Sans Walk, and the vaults of the building (formerly used for the reception of prisoners, medical examination and baths as well as kitchens) were accessed by members of the IStructE History Study Group.