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Ancestry UK

Liberty and Borough Bridewell, St Albans, Hertfordshire

The Liberty of St Albans was created in the 8th century. It encompassed twenty-two parishes within Hertfordshire but enjoyed the powers of an independent county. It was absorbed into Hertfordshire in 1874.

The Liberty Bridewell, which served both the Liberty and also the Borough of St Albans, occupied one side of the St Albans Abbey Gateway.

St Albans Abbey Gateway.

In 1784, following several visits to the bridewell, John Howard wrote:

The Bridewell for the Liberty, and for the Borough, joins to the Liberty gaol. One large work-room, and two lodging-rooms; all up stairs, and airy. No court: no water: no allowance: no straw. Prisoners have their earnings. Clauses against spirituous liquors not hung up. Keeper's salary for the liberty, £28; for the borough, £2: no fees. In 1779, I found a girl, who was sentenced for a year's imprisonment, locked up all the day with two soldiers in the work-room: and at my last visit, a girl and a boy were confined together.

1776, March 2,Prisoners 2.1779, April 24,Prisoners 3.
1776, Nov. 2,01782, May 7,2.

In 1812, James Neild reported on his visits to the bridewell:

Keeper, Ann Twitchell; now John. Denyton.
Salary, from the Liberty, 38l. From the Borough, 2l.
Fees, for Bastardy, and Assaults, 13s. 4d. No Table.

No religious attentions whatever.

Surgeon, sent by the Borough, when wanted.

Number of Prisoners,

1804, Sept. 8th, One.1808, Aug. 1st, Six.
1807, July 31st, Six.1810, Aug. 12th, None.

Allowance, four-pence a day ; but when bread was very dear, it was sixpence a day. The money is issued to the Keeper, who out of it furnishes daily one pound of bread, and straw for the use of the Prisoners.

This Bridewell adjoins to the Liberty-Gaol, the entrance to both being on opposite sides of the gateway.

The Keeper's room, or lodge, is on the ground-floor, and the ascent to the apartments is by a flight of twenty-four stone steps. Above these rises a stair-case of sixteen steps, leading to the Prison, which consists of two very spacious and lofty rooms. At one end of these, loose straw is laid on the boards, and each Prisoner has two blankets, and a rug.

In one of these ample rooms, there is a fire-place; but no fuel is allowed. The sewers are convenient, and not offensive.

Here is also a third room, with several spinning-wheels. Employment was formerly furnished to the Prisoners ; but, unhappily, not being found productive, it has been discontinued.

I observed that the same wanton injury had been done to this Prison, by French miscreants received here, as I before mentioned to have taken place at the Liberty Gaol, during their temporary, and very short confinement.

Here is no court-yard. No water, but what is fetched from a pump in the Liberty Gaol, over the way.

Neither the Act for Preserving Health, nor the Clauses against Spirituous Liquors, hung up in any of the Prisons here. No Rules and Orders.

The other side of the Abbey Gate was occupied by a gaol, which served both the Liberty and the Borough of St Albans. From 1823, the gaol and the bridewell were usually treated as a single establishment having two departments. For information on the prison from this date onwards, see the separate page on the St Albans Liberty Gaol.

Records

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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.