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Ancestry UK

Court of Peverel Prison, Old Basford, Nottinghamshire

The Court of Peverel (or Peveril) is said to have been created in around 1070 by William the Conqueror and granted by him to his natural son, William de Peverel. Its main business was the recovery of small debts. Letters patent of 1639 specified its jurisdiction as encompassing pleas of debt, detinue, covenant, account, trespass, trespass on the case and distraint of beasts, goods and chattels where the value of debts or damages demanded did not exceed £50 in value. From that date court's jurisdiction included the whole of Broxtowe and Thurgarton wapentakes in Nottinghamshire and, from 1672 to 1706, the manor of Worksop in Nottinghamshire and the parishes of Rotherham, Sheffield, Ecclesfield, Whiston, Handsworth and Treeton in Yorkshire. The court's stewardship was long held under royal grant by the Willoughby family.

The letters patent of 1639 provided for the court to meet on Tuesdays at a place of the steward's choosing. The warrant of 1672 mentioned the shire halls of various places in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, often with a long succession of meetings at the same place. The venues included Wirksworth, Ashbourne, Normanton and Glapwell in Derbyshire; Nottingham castle and shire hall, Mansfield, Lenton, Linby, Radford and Old Basford in Nottinghamshire.

By the start of the eighteenth century, the Court was based at what is now the Fox and Crown on Church Street, Old Basford. In 1784, John Howard reported on the prison:

This is his majesty's gaol or prison of the court of record of his honour of Peverel and additional limits of the same in the counties of Nottingham and Derby. Thomas Lord Middleton high steward. One room with three beds. The keeper said he had another little room for women prisoners; but having none of that sex, he made use of it for his servants. The house is his freehold. Fees, 13s. 4d. by the court-roll.—The debts were from forty shillings to fifty pounds, but now are from ten pounds to fifty pounds.

1776, Sep. 24, Prisoners 3.  1779, Sep. 20, Prisoners 2.

In 1791, the gaoler, John Sands, opened the prison doors and allowed the inmates to escape because no food was allowed for their support and if any of them died of want he would be liable to face trial as a murderer.

The Court and prison then relocated to what was to become the White Hart Inn on Gregory Street, Lenton. It is believed that old prison cells still survive at the rear of what is still the White Hart pub.

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

Bibliography

  • Prison Oracle - resources those involved in present-day UK prisons.
  • GOV.UK - UK Government's information on sentencing, probation and support for families.

Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.