Town Bridewell, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

In the work-house yard. Four rooms; a fire-place in one of them. A small court, to which prisoners have no access. No sewer: no water. Court of conscience debtors sometimes confined here, and discharged in three calendar months: by the act (1758) they may be carried "either to the common gaol, or house of correction."

1776, Feb. 6, Prisoners 0.
1779, April 3,  "  0.
1782, July 8, Debtor 1, Petty Offender 1.

Keeper, John Daniels, who is Master of the Workhouse. Salary, 5l. 5s.

Fees, 2s. 2d. and fourpence a day, during each Prisoner's confinement.

Surgeon, whoever attends the Poor.

Prisoners, 1802, Feb. 16th, and 1805, Sept. 9th, none; 1810, Sept. 13th, One.

Allowance, ten ounces of bread three times a day.

The Bridewell stands in the Workhouse yard; and consists of four sleeping-cells, about 10 feet by 8, and 9 feet high: a fire-place in one of them, lighted and ventilated by an iron-bar grated window, 2 feet 6 inches by 2 feet; having an outside shutter, and fitted up with a wooden bedstead, straw-in-sacking bed, a blanket, and a rug.

On the floor of each cell is a strong iron staple, with a chain five feet long. This is fastened to the Prisoner's leg, and is sufficiently long to admit of his lying down on the bed; or going to the grating to receive water three times a day, or the daily allowance of bread. Tubs are made to serve the purpose of a sewer, and are emptied when nearly full.

In this state of durance the Prisoners remain, till liberated by legal process! Here is a small court-yard, of about 24 feet by 10, to which they have no access for air or exercise, though sometimes confined six months. At the end of the court is a room for the sick, 12 feet 3 by 7 feet 3, with a fire-place, and coals allowed.

One cell in this Prison, extremely dark, and called The Dungeon, 9 feet by 8, and 8 feet high, has a boarded floor: But no bedding; no straw on the floor. For ventilation it has an aperture in the door, 9 inches square; but the little borrowed light it can possibly admit, is almost wholly obstructed by four iron bars. Commitments, from 30th August 1803, to the 30th Sept. 1810, one hundred and forty four.

Court of Conscience Debtors may be carried either to the Common Gaol or to this Bridewell, where they have the same allowance as the other Prisoners,

The entrance to the bridewell is by a door from the workhouse court, which opens into a small yard 24 feet by 10 feet. The prison consists of a small low brick building, the roof of which inclines from 12 to 6 feet in height from the ground. It contains four cells, each 10 feet by S feet, and 8 feet high, constructed of wood, having a grated window about 2 feet square: the windows are not glazed. No firing is allowed. To the floor of the cell a log of wood is fixed, to which a chain is attached, of sufficient length to allow the prisoner to be chained down in bed. This chain is said to be used in cases of refractory conduct, by being fastened on the leg of the prisoner. The men and women who occupy these cells may converse with each other from their open windows, all the day, without molestation; for the house which the keeper inhabits, is not attached to the prison, neither is there any apartment contiguous to it. Owing to the great insecurity of the yard, the prisoners are generally kept close in their cells in the day as well as night. The following remark of Howard's therefore is still applicable. He says, in his observation on this prison, "there is a small court, to which the prisoners have no access: there is no privy, tubs being used in lieu thereof."