Gloucestershire Prisons
 

Bristol City Gaol
Bristol Common Gaol
Staff Salaries
Gloucester Bridewell
Gloucester City Gaol
Gloucester County Gaol
Horsley Gaol
Little Dean Gaol
Northleach Gaol
Tewkesbury Gaol

Bridewell

In the late Middle Ages five of the town gates - the east, south, west, outer north, Alvin gates - were the official entrances for such purposes as collecting tolls and were manned by porters. ⁷³ The inner north gate housed the main prison of the town by 1502. ⁷⁴ In 1590 a gaoler's lodging was built on the east side of it, partly financed with 20 marks given by Richard Pate (d. 1588) for repairing the gates. ⁷⁵ Two gates were in use as prisons in 1485, ⁷⁶ the other one was probably the east gate, which housed women prisoners in 1560. ⁷⁷ From at least 1613 until its demolition in the late 18^th century the east gate was used as a bridewell, or house of correction. ⁷⁸  The east gate was taken down in 1778. ⁸⁸

Notes :-
73         Above, Medieval Glouc., regulation of trade and ind. Austin, Crypt Sch. 155. G.B.R., J 5/3 confirms that of the two N. gates it was the outer one that was named.
74         G.B.R., G 10/1, p. 4.
75         Ibid. B 3/1, f. 124v.; G 12/1, f. 269.
76            Hockaday Abs. Cciii. 1485.
77         G.B.R., F 4/3, f. 83.
78         Ibid. B 3/1, f. 246v.; 2.p. 41' 12, ff. 104v-105v.

Source: Quoted from the Victoria County History, Gloucestershire, volume 11, page 244, by permission of the General Editor. Submitted by Alan Longbottom

Gaol

Gloucester Town Government 1200-1483.

Other officers who probably existed from 1200, though not found recorded before 1264, Were the two serjeants or under-bailiffs. The serjeants, who were provided with gowns each year,¹² and by the late 14^th century carried official maces,¹³ deputized for the bailiffs in their administrative functions and were involved particularly in performing such tasks for the hundred court as empanelling juries, summoning defendants, and collecting amercements.¹⁴ In 1287 one is recorded as acting as keeper of the town gaol,¹⁵ also a function performed by delegation from the bailiffs.¹⁶

Notes :-
12         G.B.R., F 3/1-4.
13         P.R.O., C 115/K 2/6684, f. 159.
14         Glouc. Cath. Libr., Reg. Abb. Froucester B, p. 342; G.B.R., G 10/1, passim
15         P.R.O., JUST 1/278, rot. 65d.
16         Cal.Pat.  1385-9 359-60; Cal. Close. 1392-6, 320; 1396-9, 4.

Source: Quoted from the Victoria County History, Gloucestershire, volume 11, page 033, by permission of the General Editor. Submitted by Alan Longbottom

Gaol

At the corner of Southgate Street and Kimbrose lane the site occupied by the former city gaol, police station and Kimbrose Hospital, all demolished in the early 1860's, ³⁷ was built on from 1866. ³⁸

Notes :-
37         G.B.R., B 4/1/8, p. 21.
38                 Glos. R.O., D 3117/743-5, 1464-78.

Source: Quoted from the Victoria County History, Gloucestershire, volume 11, page 226, by permission of the General Editor. Submitted by Alan Longbottom

Gloucestershire Prison

His Majesty's Prison, built in 1791, at a cost of £35,000 stands in the North Hamlet, Gloucester, on the site of the old castle. It was constructed on a plan suggested by John Howard, for the separation of hardened criminals and juvenile offenders. It has since been enlarged, and there are now 300 separate cells for males and 50 for females, exclusive of rooms for debtors of both sexes.

Page updated August 06, 2007 by Rossbret