Here you’ll find a list of all the major and famous prisons throughout the UK in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. To get on the list, the prison must be either famous or infamous or to have held such a quantity of prisons as to be deemed large, and have opened before 1950.
Some like The Tower of London are major because of the space they take up in the modern mind and still continue to contribute to the mythology of Britain, others like HMP Aberdeen because they have served as prisons for over a hundred years. Each, however, still has an interesting story to tell, from its design to its history and most importantly, through the lives of its detainees.
| Name | Alias | Location | Active |
| Aberdeen New County and City Bridewell | Aberdeen West Bridewell | Aberdeen | 02/10/1809-1868 |
| Aberdeen Gaol | Aberdeen East Prison | Aberdeen | 07/1831- |
| Abingdon County Gaol & House of Correction | Abingdon Gaol, The old gaol | Abingdon | 1811-1868 |
| Appleby County Bridewell | Appleby | 1639- | |
| Appleby County Gaol | Appleby County Prison | Appleby | |
| Aylesbury County Gaol and Bridewell | Aylesbury County Prison and Bridewell | Aylesbury | |
| Ayr Town and County Gaol | Ayr Town and County Prison | Ayr | |
| Bath City Gaol | Bath City Prison | Bath | |
| Bath Prison | New Prison, Atwood’s Gaol | Bath | 1872- |
| Beaumaris County Gaol | Beaumaris Prison | Beaumaris | |
| Bedford County Gaol and House of Correction | Bedford Prison, Bedford County Prison, Bedford Prison, HMP Bedford | Bedford | 17/06/1801-Present |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed Town and County Gaol | Berwick-upon-Tweed Town and County Prison | Berwick-upon-Tweed | 1754- |
| Birmingham County Gaol | Winson Green, Birmingham Borough Gaol, Birmingham Prison, HMP Birmingham | Birmingham | 1849-Present |
| Bodmin County Gaol and Bridewell | Bodmin Prison | Bodmin | ??/06/1779- |
| Borstal Prison | HMP Prison Rochester | Kent | 1874 – Present |
| Brecon County Gaol and Bridewell | Brecon County Prison and Bridewell | Brecon | 1782- |
| Bristol City and County Gaol | Bristol City and County Prison | Bristol | |
| Bristol City Bridewell | Bristol City Bridewell | Bristol | |
| Bristol Lawford’s Gate County Bridewell | Bristol Lawford’s Gate County Bridewell | Bristol | |
| Brixton | London | ||
| Bury St. Edmund’s County Gaol and House of Correction | Bury St. Edmund’s County Prison and House of Correction | Bury St Edmunds | |
| Caernarvon North County Gaol | Caernarvon North County Prison | Caernarvon | |
| Cambridge Castle County Gaol and Bridewell | Cambridge Castle County Prison and Bridewell | Cambridge | |
| Canterbury City Bridewell | Canterbury | ||
| Canterbury City Gaol | Canterbury City Prison | Canterbury | |
| Canterbury County Gaol and House of Correction | Canterbury County Gaol, Canterbury Prison, HMP Canterbury, St Augustine’s Gaol, St Augustine’s Gaol and House of Correction | Canterbury | |
| Cardiff County Gaol | Cardiff County Prison | Cardiff | |
| Cardigan South County Gaol and Bridewell | Cardigan South County Prison and Bridewell | Cardigan | |
| Carlisle City and County Gaol | Carlisle City and County Prison | Carlisle | |
| Carlisle City Gaol | Carlisle City Prison | Carlisle | |
| Carmarthen County Gaol and Bridewell | Carmarthen County Prison and Bridewell | Carmarthen | |
| Chatham Prison | St Mary’s Prison | Chatham | |
| HMP Castle Huntley | 1946- | ||
| Chelmsford County Gaol | Chelmsford County Prison | Chelmsford | |
| Chester Castle County Gaol | Chester Castle County Prison | Chester | |
| Chester New City Gaol and Bridewell | Chester New City Prison and Bridewell | Chester | |
| Chichester City Gaol and Bridewell | Chichester City Prison and Bridewell | Chichester | |
| Clerkenwell House of Correction | Clerkenwell Old Prison, Clerkenwell House of Detention and Middlesex House of Detention | Clerkenwell | 1847 – 1890 |
| Clerkenwell New Prison | Clerkenwell New Prison | Clerkenwell | |
| Cockermouth County Bridewell | Cockermouth | ||
| Cold Bath Fields County House of Correction | Clerkenwell | ||
| Coventry City and County Gaol | Coventry City and County Prison | Coventry | |
| Coventry City Bridewell | Coventry | ||
| Cowbridge County Bridewell | Cowbridge | ||
| Cowbridge County Bridewell | Cowbridge | ||
| Dartmoor Prison | Dartmoor Gaol, HMP Dartmoor, Princetown Gaol | Dartmoor | |
| Derby County Gaol and House of Correction | Derby County Prison and House of Correction | Derby | |
| Devizes Town Gaol and County Bridewell | Devizes Town Prison and County Bridewell | Devizes | |
| Dorchester County Gaol | Dorchester County Prison | Dorchester | |
| Dumfries County Gaol | Dumfries County Prison | Dumfries | |
| Durham County Bridewell | Durham | ||
| Durham County Gaol and Bridewell | Durham | ||
| Edinburgh County and City Bridewell | Edinburgh | ||
| Ely City Gaol | Ely City Prison | Ely | |
| Exeter County High Gaol for Felons | Exeter County High Prison for Felons | Exeter | |
| Exeter South Gate City and County Gaol | Exeter South Gate City and County Prison | Exeter | |
| Exeter the County House of Correction | Exeter the County House of Correction | Exeter | |
| Fisherton Anger County Gaol and Bridewell | Salisbury | 1578-1822 | |
| Fisherton Anger County Gaol | Wiltshire County Gaol | Salisbury | 1822-1870 |
| Flint North County Gaol and House of Correction | Flint North County Prison and House of Correction | Flint | |
| Galleries of Justice | Shire Hall and County Gaol | Nottingham | 1449-1878 |
| Gloucester City Gaol and Bridewell | Gloucester City Prison and Bridewell | Gloucester | |
| Gloucester County Gaol and Penitentiary House Annexed | Gloucester County Prison and Penitentiary House Annexed, HMP Gloucester | Gloucester | 1792-2013 |
| Greenlaw County Gaol | Greenlaw County Prison | Greenlaw | |
| Haddington County Gaol | Haddington County Prison | Haddington | |
| Haverford-West County Gaol | Haverford-West County Prison | Haverford-West | |
| Hereford City Gaol and Bridewell | Hereford City Prison and Bridewell | Hereford | |
| Hereford County Gaol and House of Correction | Hereford County Prison and House of Correction | Hereford | |
| Hertford County Gaol and Bridewell | Hertford County Prison and Bridewell | Hertford | |
| HMP Aberdeen | Craiginches | Aberdeen | 1890-11/01/2014 |
| HMP Barlinnie | The Big House | Riddrie | 07/1882-Present |
| HMP Dumfries | Dumfries | 1863- | |
| HMP Edinburgh | Edinburgh | 1919 | |
| HMP Inverness | Inverness | 1909 | |
| HMP Usk | Usk House of Correction, Usk Prison, Monmouthshire County Gaol | Usk | 1844-Present |
| HMP Perth | Perth | 1842- | |
| HMP Peterhead | Peterhead Convict Prison | Peterhead | 1888- |
| HMP Armagh | Armagh | 1780-1986 | |
| HMP Greenock | 1910- | ||
| HMP Belfast | HMP Crumlin Road, Crumlin Road Gaol | Belfast | 1845-1996 |
| HMP Cardiff | Cardiff Prison | Cardiff | 1832-Present |
| HMP Swansea | Swansea | 1861-Present | |
| Holloway Prison | HMP Holloway, New City of London Prison | Islington | 1852-2016 |
| Horsemonger Lane County Gaol and Bridewell | Horsemonger Lane County Prison and Bridewell, Surrey County Gaol, New Gaol | Southwark | 1790-1891 |
| Horsham County Gaol and Bridewell | Horsham County Prison and Bridewell | Horsham | |
| Hull Town and County Gaol | Hull Town and County Prison | Hull | |
| Huntingdon the County Bridewell | Huntingdon | ||
| Huntingdon the County Gaol | Huntingdon the County Prison | Huntingdon | |
| Ilchester County Gaol and Bridewell | Ilchestershire County Prison and Bridewell | Ilchester | |
| Ipswich County Gaol | Ipswich County Prison | Ipswich | |
| Fleet Prison | Holborn | 1197-1846 | |
| Jedburgh County Bridewell | Jedburgh | ||
| Jedburgh County Gaol | Jedburgh County Prison | Jedburgh | |
| King’s Bench Prison | Southwark | -1761 | |
| King’s Bench Prison | Queen’s Bench Prison | Southwark | 1758-1869 |
| Lancaster Castle County Gaol and Bridewell | Lancaster Castle County Prison and Bridewell | Lancaster | |
| Launceston County Gaol for Felons | Launceston County Prison for Felons | Launceston | |
| Leicester County Bridewell | Leicester | ||
| Leicester County Gaol | Leicester County Prison | Leicester | |
| Lewes Prison | HMP Lewes, Lewes County Gaol | Lewes | 1853 – Present |
| Lichfield City and County Gaol and Bridewell | Lichfield City and County Prison and Bridewell | Lichfield | |
| Lincoln Castle County Gaol | Lincoln Castle County Prison | Lincoln | |
| Lincoln City Gaol and House of Correction | Lincoln City Prison and House of Correction | Lincoln | |
| Maidstone County Gaol | Maidstone County Prison | Maidstone | |
| Manchester City Gaol and House of Correction | Belle Vue Prison, Mancester City Gaol, Manchester Prison | Manchester | |
| Marshalsea New Prison | Marshalsea New Prison | Southwark | |
| Middlewich County House of Correction | Middlewich County House of Correction | Middlewich | |
| Millbank Prison | Westminster | ||
| Monmouth County Gaol and House of Correction | Monmouth County Prison and House of Correction | Monmouth | |
| Montgomery County Gaol | Montgomery County Prison | Montgomery | |
| Morpeth County Gaol | Morpeth County Prison | Morpeth | |
| Nairne County Gaol | Nairne County Prison | Nairne | |
| Newcastle-upon-Tyne County Gaol | Newcastle-upon-Tyne County Prison | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | |
| Newgate Prison | Newgate | ||
| Northampton County Gaol and Bridewell | Northampton County Prison and Bridewell | Northampton | |
| Norwich Castle County Gaol | Norwich Castle County Prison | Norwich | |
| Norwich City Bridewell | Norwich | ||
| Norwich City Gaol | Norwich City Prison | Norwich | |
| Nottingham County Gaol | Nottingham County Prison | Nottingham | |
| Oakham County Bridewell and Town Gaol | Oakham County Bridewell and Town Prison | Oakham | |
| Oxford Castle Gaol and County Bridewell | Oxford Castle Prison and County Bridewell | Oxford | |
| Oxford City Gaol | Oxford City Prison | Oxford | |
| Pentonville Prison | Pentonville | ||
| Petworth County Bridewell for the Western Division | Petworth Jail, Petworth Prison | Petworth | |
| Poultry Compter | Poultry Compter | London | |
| Portland Prison | Portland | ||
| Portsmouth Prison (Gloucester Road) | Portsmouth | ||
| Kingston Prison | Portsmouth | 1877-2013 | |
| Parkhurst Prison | HMP Parkhurst | Newport (Isle of Wight) | 1838-Present |
| Presteign County Bridewell | Presteign | ||
| Presteign County Gaol | Presteign County Prison | Presteign | |
| Reading County Gaol and House of Correction | Reading Prison, HMP Reading, Reading County Gaol | Reading | 1800-1899 |
| Rochester City Gaol and Bridewell | Rochester City Prison and Bridewell | Rochester | |
| Ruthin County Gaol and Bridewell | Ruthin County Prison and Bridewell | Ruthin | |
| Salisbury County Gaol and Bridewell | Salisbury County Prison and Bridewell | Salisbury | |
| Savoy Strand Gaol, Military exclusively | Savoy Strand Prison, Military exclusively | Savoy | |
| Shrewsbury County Gaol | Shrewsbury County Prison | Shrewsbury | |
| Southwell County House of Correction | Southwell | ||
| Stafford County Gaol and House of Correction | Stafford County Prison and House of Correction | Stafford | |
| Taunton County Bridewell . | Taunton County Bridewell . | Taunton | |
| The Tower of London | The Tower | London | |
| Wakefield Prison | Wakefield House of Correction, Monster Mansion | Wakefield | |
| Warwick County Bridewell | Warwick | ||
| Warwick County Gaol | Warwick County Prison | Warwick | |
| Winchester County Gaol | Winchester County Prison | Winchester | |
| Winchester City Gaol and Bridewell | Winchester City Prison and Bridewell | Winchester | |
| Winchester County Bridewell | Winchester New Prison | Winchester | 1787-1849 |
| Woking Female Prison | Woking | ||
| Woking Invalid Convict Prison | Woking | ||
| Worcester City Gaol | Worcester City Prison | Worcester | |
| Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | London | |
| Wymondham (Windham) County Bridewell | Wymondham | ||
| York Castle County Gaol | York Castle County Prison | York | |
| York City and Ainsty Gaol | York City and Ainsty Prison | York | |
| York City Bridewell | York |
Is there a prison you’re looking for which isn’t on the list? Try searching these:
Borough, Bridewells, Compters, Houses of Correction, Liberty Gaols and Town Gaols