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The Institutional History Society
Homepage > Prisons > Borough, Bridewells, Compters, Houses of Correction, Liberty Gaols and Town Gaols
Bridewell

Borough, Bridewells, Compters, Houses of Correction, Liberty Gaols and Town Gaols

Aside from major city and county prisons, each town also would have had a structure for handling rulebreakers. The naming of these prisons is representative of the period in which they were first built or reflect some aspect of their design.

Borough Prisons were typically larger than town prisons and drew inmates from a number of different locales.

Bridewells were named after a Prison created in 1553 at St. Bride’s Well in London, formerly a palace of Henry VIII. Over time the name was shortened to Bridewell and came to refer to gaols of any size.

Compters are defined as prisons usually attached to city courts whose inmates mainly consist of debtors. The term is typically used for prisons in London, however there is at least one instance of a Compter in Reading.

Houses of Correction were created after the 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law, criminalising begging and vagrancy and establishing structures where they would be forced to work. By the 18th century they were also used to house pre-trial, any inmates.

Liberty Gaols were so called because the area in which the prison was held, had the ‘liberty’ of its use. This became contracted and was used invariably around the country, from Richmond to Peterborough to Ripon and Saint Albans.

Town Gaols, as the name suggests, existed for the use of towns. Unlike some of the major prisons, due to their relatively small size these would often be built within the town proper rather than on the outskirts where more space would be needed.

NameAliasLocationActive
Aberdeen House of CorrectionCorrection WyndAberdeen1637-1711
Abergavenny Town GaolAbergavenny Town PrisonAbergavenny
Abingdon Town GaolAbingdon Town PrisonAbingdon
Aldborough Town GaolAldborough Town PrisonAldborough
Alnwick House of CorrectionAlnwick
Andover Borough GaolAndover Borough PrisonAndover
Annan Town GaolAnnan Town PrisonAnnan
Ashbourne House of CorrectionAshborneAshbourne1784-1828
Aylesham BridewellAylesham
Bala BridewellBala
Banbury Town Gaol and BridewellBanbury Town Prison and BridewellBanbury
Banff Town GaolBanff Town PrisonBanff
Barking Gaol and House of CorrectionBarking Prison and House of CorrectionBarking
Barnstaple Borough Gaol and BridewellBarnstaple Borough Prison and BridewellBarnstaple
Basingstoke BridewellBasingstoke
Battle Town GaolBattle Town PrisonBattle
Beaumaris Town GaolBeaumaris Town PrisonBeaumaris
Beccles House of CorrectionBeccles
Berkhamsted BridewellBerkhamsted
Beverley Borough GaolBeverley1810-1856
Beverley House of CorrectionBeverley1611-1809
Beverley New Sessions House and House of CorrectionBeverley
Beverley Town and Liberty GaolBeverley Town and Liberty PrisonBeverley
Birmingham Aston GaolBordesley PrisonBirmingham
Birmingham Town GaolBirmingham Town PrisonBirmingham
Blandford Town GaolBlandford Town PrisonBlandford
Boston Town Gaol and BridewellBoston Town Prison and BridewellBoston
Botesdale House of CorrectionBottesdale BridewellBotesdale
Bradford Town GaolBradford Town PrisonBradford
Brecon Town GaolBrecon Town PrisonBrecon
Bridewell House of CorrectionBridewell
Bridgewater Town GaolBridgewater Town PrisonBridgewater
Buckingham Town GaolBuckingham Town PrisonBuckingham
Buntingford BridewellBuntingford1491-1843
Bury St. Edmund’s Town BridewellBury
Cambridge Town BridewellCambridge
Cambridge Town GaolCambridge Town PrisonCambridge
Canterbury Gaol and House of ConnectionCanterbury Prison and House of ConnectionCanterbury
Cardiff Town GaolCardiff Town PrisonCardiff
Carmarthen Borough GaolCarmarthen Borough PrisonCarmarthen
Castle-Town, Castle-RushenCastle-Town,
Chesterfield BridewellChesterfield
Chesterfield Town GaolChesterfield Town PrisonChesterfield
Colchester Borough Gaol and BridewellColchester Borough Prison and BridewellColchester
Colchester, the Castle BridewellColchester,
Croydon Town GaolCroydon Town PrisonCroydon
Dartford BridewellDartford
Deal Town GaolDeal Town PrisonDeal
Dean House of CorrectionDean
Denbigh Town GaolDenbigh Town PrisonDenbigh
Derby Town or Borough GaolDerby Town or Borough PrisonDerby
Derry Gaol (Butcher Street)Londonderry GaolDerry1620-
Derry Gaol (Ferryquay Street)Londonderry GaolDerry1676-
Derry Gaol (Bishop Street)Londonderry GaolDerry1791-
Derry Gaol (Street)Londonderry GaolDerry1824-31/03/1953
Dolgelly BridewellDolgelly
Dolgelly North GaolDolgelly North PrisonDolgelly
Doncaster Town GaolDoncaster Town PrisonDoncaster
Dover Town Gaol and BridewellDover Town Prison and BridewellDover
Dunbar Town GaolDunbar Town PrisonDunbar
Dundee Town GaolDundee Town PrisonDundee
Dymchurch Town Gaol and BridewellDymchurch Town Prison and BridewellDymchurch
Edinburgh Holy-rood HouseEdinburgh
Ely BridewellEly
Evesham Borough GaolEvesham Borough PrisonEvesham
Falmouth Town GaolFalmouth Town PrisonFalmouth
Folkingham House of CorrectionFolkingham
Gilt-Spur-Street CompterSmithfield
Glasgow the BridewellGlasgow
Gosport BridewellGosport
Grantham Gaol and House of CorrectionGrantham Prison and House of CorrectionGrantham
Greenwich GaolGreenwich PrisonGreenwich
Guildford BridewellGuildford
Halifax Low or Town Gaol for Debtor’s onlyHalifax Low or Town Prison for Debtor’s onlyHalifax
Halifax Town GaolHalifax Town PrisonHalifax
Halsted BridewellHalsted
Harwich BridewellHarwich
HarwichTown GaolHarwichTown PrisonHarwichTown
Haverford-West town gaol and BridewellHaverford-West town Prison and BridewellHaverford-West
Helston Town GaolHelston Town PrisonHelston
Henley Town GaolHenley Town PrisonHenley
Hexham GaolHexham1333-
High Wycombe BridewellHigh Wycombe
Hinckley BridewellHinckley
Hitchin BridewellHitchin
Hithe Town GaolHithe Town PrisonHithe
Horseky House of CorrectionHorseky
Hull BridewellHull
Ipswich House of CorrectionIpswich
Ipswich Town and Borough BridewellIpswich
Ipswich Town and Borough GaolIpswich Town and Borough PrisonIpswich
Irven Town GaolIrven Town PrisonIrven
Kendal Town Gaol and BirdewellKendal Town Prison and BirdewellKendal
Kidderminster Town GaolKidderminster Town PrisonKidderminster
Kilmarnock Town GaolKilmarnock Town PrisonKilmarnock
Kingston-upon-Thames House of CorrectionKingston-upon-Thames
Kingston-upon-Thames Town GaolKingston-upon-Thames Town PrisonKingston-upon-Thames
Kirkcudbright Town GaolKirkcudbright Town PrisonKirkcudbright
Kirton GaolKirton PrisonKirton
Knaresborough Castle Gaol for DebtorsKnaresborough Castle Prison for DebtorsKnaresborough
Knaresborough Prison for Town DebtorsKnaresborough Prison for Town DebtorsKnaresborough
Knaresborough Town Gaol for FelonsKnaresborough Town Prison for FelonsKnaresborough
Lancaster Town GaolLancaster Town PrisonLancaster
Launceston BridewellLaunceston
Launceston Town GaolLaunceston Town PrisonLaunceston
Leeds Town GaolLeeds Town PrisonLeeds
Leicester Town GaolLeicester Town PrisonLeicester
Leith Town GaolLeith Town PrisonLeith
Lenton GaolLenton PrisonLenton
Leominster Town GaolLeominster Town PrisonLeominster
Lewes House of Correction for the East DivisionLewes County Gaol, Lewes Prison, HMP LewesLewes
Lewes Invalid Convict PrisonLewes
Liverpool Borough GaolLiverpool Borough PrisonLiverpool
Liverpool House of CorrectionLiverpool
Liverpool New Borough Gaol and House of CorrectionLiverpool New Borough Prison and House of CorrectionLiverpool
Louth House of CorrectionLouth
Ludgate GaolLudgate PrisonLudgate
Ludlow Town GaolLudlow Town PrisonLudlow
Lydd Town GaolLydd Town PrisonLydd
Lynn Regis Town Gaol and House of CorrectionLynn Regis Town Prison and House of CorrectionLynn
Macclesfield Town GaolMacclesfield Town PrisonMacclesfield
Market House GaolNewtownards
Maidstone House of CorrectionMaidstone
Malton Town GaolMalton Town PrisonMalton
Manchester New BaileyManchester
Marlborough Comity Bridewell and Town GaolMarlborough Comity Bridewell and Town PrisonMarlborough
Melton Mowbray BridewellMelton
Monmouth Town GaolMonmouth Town PrisonMonmouth
Montgomery House of CorrectionMontgomery
Montrose Town GaolMontrose Town PrisonMontrose
Morpeth BridewellMorpeth
Musselburgh Town GaolMusselburgh Town PrisonMusselburgh
Nantwich Town GaolNantwich Town PrisonNantwich
Newark-upon-Trent Town Gaol and BridewellNewark-upon-Trent Town Prison and BridewellNewark-upon-Trent
Newbury BridewellNewbury
Newbury Corporation GaolNewbury Corporation PrisonNewbury
Newcastle-upon-Tyne BridewellNewcastle-upon-Tyne
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Sessions PrisonNewcastle-upon-Tyne Sessions PrisonNewcastle-upon-Tyne
Newcastle-upon-Tyne the Castle GarthNewcastle-upon-Tyne
Newport BridewellNewport
Newport Bridewell and Town GaolNewport Bridewell and Town PrisonIsle of Wight
Northallerton BridewellNorthallerton
Northampton Town Gaol and BridewellNorthampton Town Prison and BridewellNorthampton
Northlech House of CorrectionNorthlech
Norwich for Precincts of the CloseNorwich
Northleach House of CorrectionThe Old PrisonNorthleach1792-
Nottingham House of CorrectionNottingham
Nottingham Town GaolNottingham Town PrisonNottingham
Odiham BridewellOdiham
Okehampton Town GaolOkehampton Town PrisonOkehampton
Orford Borough Gaol and BridewellOrford Borough Prison and BridewellOrford
Paisley Town GaolPaisley Town PrisonPaisley
Pembroke GaolPembroke PrisonPembroke
Penrhyn Borough GaolPenrhyn Borough PrisonPenrhyn
Penzance Borough GaolPenzance Borough PrisonPenzance
Perth Town GaolPerth Town PrisonPerth
Peterborough BridewellPeterborough
Peterborough Soke Liberty GaolPeterborough Soke Liberty PrisonPeterborough
Plymouth Dock GaolPlymouth Dock PrisonPlymouth
Plymouth Town GaolPlymouth Town PrisonPlymouth
Pontefract Town GaolPontefract Town PrisonPontefract
Poole BrideswellPoole
Poole Town GaolPoole Town PrisonPoole
Portsmouth Town GaolPortsmouth Town PrisonPortsmouth
Preston House of CorrectionPreston
Reading Town BridewellReading
Reading Town Gaol or CompterReading Town Prison or CompterReading
Renfrew Town GaolRenfrew Town PrisonRenfrew
Richmond Corporation or Borough GaolRichmond Corporation or Borough PrisonRichmond
Ripon Canon-Fee Court Gaol and House of CorrectionRipon Canon-Fee Court Prison and House of CorrectionRipon
Ripon The Liberty GaolRipon The Liberty PrisonRipon
Romney Town GaolRomney Town PrisonRomney
Ruthin House of CorrectionRuthin
Rye Town GaolRye Town PrisonRye
Saffron-Walden Town Gaol and BridewellSaffron-Walden Town Prison and BridewellSaffron-Walden
Saint Alban’s Borough GaolSaint Alban’s Borough PrisonSaint Alban’s
Saint Alban’s House of CorrectionSaint Alban’s
Saint Alban’s Liberty GaolSaint Alban’s Liberty PrisonSaint Alban’s
Sandwich Town Gaol and BridewellSandwich Town Prison and BridewellSandwich
Scarborough Town GaolScarborough Town PrisonScarborough
Selkirk Roxburghshire Town GaolSelkirk Roxburghshire Town PrisonSelkirk
Sheffield Eccleshall GaolSheffield Eccleshall PrisonSheffield
Sheffield Town GaolSheffield Town PrisonSheffield
Shepton Mallet BridewellShepton Mallett House of Correction, HMP Shepton Mallet, Shepton Mallet Prison, Shepton Mallet GaolShepton-Mallet1610-2013
Shrewsbury BridewellShrewsbury
Shrewsbury Felons GaolShrewsbury Felons PrisonShrewsbury
Southampton Town Gaol for Debtor’s onlySouthampton Town Prison for Debtor’s onlySouthampton
Southwark Borough CompterSouthwark
Spalding Bridewell for Holland DivisionSpalding
St. George’s Fields BridewellLondon
Stamford Town GaolStamford Town PrisonStamford
Stirling Town GaolStirling Town PrisonStirling
Stockport Town GaolStockport Town PrisonStockport
Sudbury Borough Gaol and BridewellSudbury Borough Prison and BridewellSudbury
Swaffham BridewellSwaffham
Swansea Town GaolSwansea Town PrisonSwansea
Thetford Town GaolThetford Town PrisonThetford
Tideswell House of CorrectionTideswell
Tiverton Town BridewellTiverton
Tiverton Town GaolTiverton Town PrisonTiverton
Tothill Fields BridewellTothill Fields Prison, Westminster BridewellWestminster1618-1884
Tower Hamlets, Welldose Square GaolTower Hamlets, Welldose Square PrisonLondon
Truro Town GaolTruro Town PrisonTruro
Tynemouth House of CorrectionTynemouth
Wakefield House of CorrectionWakefield
Wakefield Town GaolWakefield Town PrisonWakefield
Wallingford Borough PrisonWallingford
Walsall Town GaolWalsall Town PrisonWalsall
Walsingham Town GaolWalsingham Town PrisonWalsingham
Warrington Town BridewellWarrington
Wellington GaolWellington PrisonWellington
Wells Town GaolWells Town PrisonWells Town
Whitehaven House of CorrectionWhitehaven
White Lion GaolThe Sheriff’s Prison, The Gaol at the White LyonSouthwark
Wirksworth BridewellWirksworth
Wisbech Town Gaol and BridewellWisbech Town Prison and BridewellWisbech
Wolverhampton BridewellWolverhampton
Woodbridge BridewellWoodbridge
Worcester Castle Gaol and BridewellWorcester Castle Prison and BridewellWorcester
Wrexham Denbighshire North House of CorrectionWrexham
Yarmouth Town BridewellYarmouth
Yarmouth Town GaolYarmouth Town PrisonYarmouth
York St. Peters GaolYork St. Peters PrisonYork

Is there a prison you’re looking for which isn’t on the list? Try searching these:

County Gaols, City and Major Prisons

Debtors Prisons

Lockups and Tollbooths

Hulks

Inside Out: A personal perspective on modern British Prisons

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