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The Institutional History Society
Abingdon Prison

Abingdon Prison

Abingdon jail

The building of Abingdon prison in Oxfordshire began in 1805 and cost the equivalent of around 1.3 Million pounds in today’s money.

Whilst the hope was that the prison would receive inmates by 1809, it didn’t open its doors to the inmates until 1811, and was even then still incomplete.[1] In 1812 the surveyor, Mr Daniel Harris, was deemed insane and was replaced by Mr Jeffrey Wyatville.

The prison closed in 1868 as it was not fit for purpose and chronically underused, which was in part due to a new prison being opened up in Reading in 1844.

The building has now been converted into flats.

But the memory of the prison has not been entirely forgotten. The pub opposite the site where the gallows once were erected,  still bears the name The Broad Face: named after the demeanours of those awaiting to be hanged. There are even sightings of the Abingdon Ghost, an 8 year old child who met his end at those gallows, which continue to this very day.[2]

[1] 19th Century Prison History. (2019). Abingdon County House of Correction – 19th Century Prison History. [online] Available at: https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/abingdon-county-house-of-correction/ [Accessed 4 Aug. 2019].

[2] Berkshirehistory.com. (2019). Berkshire History: Ghosts of Abingdon Gaol. [online] Available at: http://www.berkshirehistory.com/legends/abingdongaol_ghost.html [Accessed 4 Aug. 2019].

Inside Out: A personal perspective on modern British Prisons

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