Sheriff's Ward, County Gaol for Debtors, Exeter, Devon

The Sheriff's ward or prison is in the parish of St. Thomas the apostle, in the county of Devon. It has several large and convenient rooms for master's-side debtors, and also six rooms and a work-room on the common-side. Court spacious. Good rules of economy. A humane keeper. He has a good fire for common-side debtors — he said he would gladly relinquish his fees for a salary of £100 — and told me that during his time, about fifteen years, no more than five or six debtors had obtained their aliment, the groats. In 1779, one debtor, on attachment from the court of chancery, had continued here from May 1758, who would not take the benefit of the insolvent acts; but at my last visit he was dead. Here is still an older prisoner, Grace Hooper, whose warrant of commitment is dated 30th of November 1741.

Rules and Orders to be observed in the Sheriff's Ward or Prison for the County of Devon.
Chas. Hayne, Sheriff.

No prisoner to abuse the turnkeys — if they do — to be confined.

If turnkeys use them ill — to complain to under-sheriff or keeper.

Doors of lodging-rooms — to be unlocked — in winter at sun-rising — in summer at six.

Prisoners to be called over within the fore-door — at candle-lighting — and locking up in their several rooms at nine at night.

Fore-gate to be locked at nine at night in summer, at eight in winter.

No prisoner — to go outside of the rails towards the fore gate.

No comber or weaver to work in lodging-rooms.

No prisoner's family, or wife, to lodge in the prison without content of the keeper.

No prisoner to be without the fore-door of the prison-house on Sundays in time of divine service.

No person to bring any spirituous liquors into the prison.

After the door is shut at night no large jugs of beer to be brought, but pints or quarts may be put in at the window.

No prisoner to throw any rubbish in the pump-yard.

No prisoner to keep any dog.

No wood to be cut or cleaved in the chambers — it spoils the plastering.

Keeper to place any prisoner where he thinks proper for safety.

No prisoner to remove his bed without keeper's content.

This Prison, called the Sheriff's Ward, is in the parish of Saint Thomas the Apostle. The boundary wall is of mud, with a thatch coping, except a small part, of brick, which fronts the street. It encloses about an acre of ground; and from the Turnkey's Lodge to the Prison is a walk of 60 yards,shaded by a double row of large elms, and well supplied with water.

At the left entrance of the Prison is a room, 19 feet by 18, which still retains the name of CHURCH: the reading desk remains, and on the walls are portions of scripture; but it is now the common day-room. On the right of the passage is a room called the Pin-hole, with a fire-place and glazed window, where Debtors dress their provisions; and adjoining to it is the Strong-room, which has a fire-place and small glazed-window, a barrack-bedstead, but no bedding, nor even straw, to sleep upon. This is the only free ward in the Prison.

For Master's-Side Debtors there are seven rooms, with beds and bedding furnished by the Keeper, for which they pay as per following Table: one of the rooms has seven beds, and two slept in each bed. Common-Side Debtors have six rooms; each pays 6d. a week; but they have neither bedding nor straw. Two were sick in bed; another had the jaundice; and a fourth was in the last stage of a consumption at my visit in 1803, without any medical assistance.

This Building is very old; the rooms were dirty, and swarming with bugs. It is a fortunate circumstance, in so crowded a Prison, that the court is spacious and airy. Here are Rules and Orders, signed by the Under-Sheriff only, and no attention is paid to them: There were constant broils between the late Keeper and his Guests, and it was difficult to determine where the fault most lay. The Gaoler said, no Magistrate ever came there without being sent for; but any one visiting this Prison must see the necessity of Rules and Orders, both for Prisoners and Keepers, being fixed by the Legislature. The Gaoler added, that his salary was small, so that his chief dependance rested on the hire of his beds, and Prison-Fees. It is difficult to conceive the extreme wretchedness and misery here exhibited. The Debtors, for the most part mechanics and labourers, seem to be more unfortunate than criminal, and have an abundant claim to pity and relief. No employment; nor rooms to work in, if it were procured. One Prisoner (Anne Fisher, committed for contempt, 13th Nov. 1791,) I saw here in 1803; but, at my last visit, she was discharged.

Gaoler, Richard Rice, now William Birch.
Salary, 25l. Fees, as per Table. Garnish, prohibited by the Prison Rules, yet generally exacted by the Prisoners.

Chaplain, none; nor any religious attentions whatever, notwithstanding the great number of persons here confined. No Surgeon.

Number of Debtors,

Allowance, at my first visits, none: But now, two shillings per week, in cases of extreme poverty, upon application made to the Magistrates.

There are at present in the Debtors' Prison, St. Thomas Ward, Exeter, five prisoners, whose combined ages are 380 years, averaging 76 years each. Four of these prisoners are there under the most distressing circumstances, having but their prison pay for their support; and when they have paid for their bed, washing, &c. they have but 3½d. for their maintenance.