Tothill Fields Bridewell
Encyclopedia
Tothill Fields Bridewell (also known as Tothill Fields Prison and Westminster Bridewell) was a prison
located in the Westminster
area of central London
between 1618 and 1884. It was named 'Bridewell' after the Bridewell Palace
, which during the 16th century had become one of the City of London
's most important prisons. Tothill Fields later became the Westminster House of Correction.
Like its City counterpart, the Westminster Bridewell was intended as a "house of correction" for the compulsory employment of able-bodied but indolent paupers. It was enlarged in 1655, and during the reign of Queen Anne
, its regime was extended to cover the incarceration of criminals.
In 1834 the original Bridewell was replaced by a larger prison, on a different site, 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) in area, south of Victoria Street and close to Vauxhall Bridge Road. The new prison, designed by Robert Abraham
and costing £186,000, was circular in plan (following Jeremy Bentham
's 'panopticon
') so that warders could supervise prisoners from a central point, and had a capacity of 900 prisoners. After it was completed, the old prison was demolished. At the back of Middlesex Guildhall
in Little Sanctuary is the 17th century 'The Stone Gateway', positioned there by the Greater London Council
in 1969. This is the only visible remnant of the prison.
Originally the Bridewell comprised three separate gaols for untried male prisoners and debtors, male convicts, and women. Inmates were put to work oakum
-picking and treading the treadmill
, and it operated on a silent/separate system. However, due to poor management, the regime was changed in 1850 and the Bridewell then housed only women and convicted boys under the age of seventeen.
The second prison was closed in 1877, when prisoners were transferred to Millbank Prison
, and was demolished in 1885. Westminster Cathedral
started 1895 now stands on the site. The prison's foundations were re-used for the cathedral.
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 Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
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 1618 and 1884. It was named 'Bridewell' after the Bridewell Palace
Bridewell Palace
Bridewell Palace in London, originally a residence of King Henry VIII, later became a poorhouse and prison. The name "Bridewell" subsequently became synonymous with police stations and detention facilities in England and in Ireland...
, which during the 16th century had become one of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
's most important prisons. Tothill Fields later became the Westminster House of Correction.
Like its City counterpart, the Westminster Bridewell was intended as a "house of correction" for the compulsory employment of able-bodied but indolent paupers. It was enlarged in 1655, and during the reign of Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, its regime was extended to cover the incarceration of criminals.
In 1834 the original Bridewell was replaced by a larger prison, on a different site, 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) in area, south of Victoria Street and close to Vauxhall Bridge Road. The new prison, designed by Robert Abraham
Robert Abraham (1774-1850)
Robert Abraham was an English building surveyor and later architect in London. He was the son of a builder and was educated as a surveyor as a pupil of James Bowen...
and costing £186,000, was circular in plan (following Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham was an English jurist, philosopher, and legal and social reformer. He became a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law, and a political radical whose ideas influenced the development of welfarism...
's 'panopticon
Panopticon
The Panopticon is a type of building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late eighteenth century. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe all inmates of an institution without them being able to tell whether or not they are being watched...
') so that warders could supervise prisoners from a central point, and had a capacity of 900 prisoners. After it was completed, the old prison was demolished. At the back of Middlesex Guildhall
Middlesex Guildhall
The Middlesex Guildhall is the home of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. It stands on the south-west corner of Parliament Square in London.-History:...
in Little Sanctuary is the 17th century 'The Stone Gateway', positioned there by the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
in 1969. This is the only visible remnant of the prison.
Originally the Bridewell comprised three separate gaols for untried male prisoners and debtors, male convicts, and women. Inmates were put to work oakum
Oakum
Oakum is a preparation of tarred fiber used in shipbuilding, for caulking or packing the joints of timbers in wooden vessels and the deck planking of iron and steel ships, as well as cast iron plumbing applications...
-picking and treading the treadmill
Treadwheel
A treadwheel is a form of animal engine typically powered by humans. It may resemble a water wheel in appearance, and can be worked either by a human treading paddles set into its circumference , or by a human or animal standing inside it .Uses of treadwheels included raising water, to power...
, and it operated on a silent/separate system. However, due to poor management, the regime was changed in 1850 and the Bridewell then housed only women and convicted boys under the age of seventeen.
The second prison was closed in 1877, when prisoners were transferred to Millbank Prison
Millbank Prison
Millbank Prison was a prison in Millbank, Pimlico, London, originally constructed as the National Penitentiary, and which for part of its history served as a holding facility for convicted prisoners before they were transported to Australia...
, and was demolished in 1885. Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
started 1895 now stands on the site. The prison's foundations were re-used for the cathedral.
Famous inmates
- Edward Marcus DespardEdward Marcus DespardEdward Marcus Despard was an Irish soldier who served in the British Army. During the American War of Independence. Despard led a force to victory at the Battle of the Black River, securing the British presence on the Mosquito Coast. Following the war Despard was appointed Superintendent of what...
- Gregor MacGregorGregor MacGregorGregor MacGregor was a Scottish soldier, adventurer, land speculator, and colonizer who fought in the South American struggle for independence. Upon his return to England in 1820, he claimed to be cacique of Poyais...
- John TrumbullJohn TrumbullJohn Trumbull was an American artist during the period of the American Revolutionary War and was notable for his historical paintings...
for alleged treason (1780-1781)