St Briavel's Castle, Gloucestershire

St Brievell's Gaol, for Debtors. The castle is in the forest of Dean, the property of Lord Berkeley, who is the chief ranger. One room for men, greatly out of repair: no court: no water: no allowance: no firing. One of the two sickly objects I found there, told me he had been confined a twelvemonth, and never once out of the dismal and offensive room; the other almost as long.—A room above for women: none there.—Keeper no salary: licence for beer: fees, 2S. 6d. No table.

Gaoler, William Class. No Salary. No Fees.

Number of Debtors, 1804, Oct. 21st, One. 1806, Sept. 9th, Two.

Allowance, none whatever.

This Gaol, for Debtors only, is part of the old Castle, within the Forest of Dean. The Castle is the property of the Crown; and was formerly surrounded by a moat, which enclosed about a quarter of an acre of ground. It is now held by lease, as I am informed, granted to Lord Berkeley, who is chief Ranger of the Forest, and Constable of the Castle.

Over the Prison gateway is a painted board, inscribed "The Castle Inn: Spirituous Liquors." Company resort to it as to a common ale-house.

Here is one dismal room for Men-Debtors above stairs, 17 feet 10 inches by 16 feet 8; and another for the Women; both greatly out of repair. No bedding allowed, not even straw to sleep on: but the Gaoler furnishes beds, at 1s. per week, to those who can afford to pay for them.

Of the two poor objects, both sickly, whom I found here in 1806, one was Richard Jordan, a labourer, who told me he had a Wife and seven Children; and that, since his confinement, three of them were sent to the Workhouse. His Debt was for Rent, 6l. 5s.; Costs of prosecution 5l. 11s. 6d.; Levy-pence, 19s. 8d.; and bringing to Gaol, 5s. So that the expence exceeded the debt by eleven shillings and two-pence! Such cases cannot be known to Earl Berkeley, who I understand seldom, if ever, visits the town.

This is the only Gaol remaining in the respectable County of Gloucester, that, for construction and polity, is not worthy of imitation. It is without the controul of the excellent County Magistrates: But I have hopes that, through the humane exertions of the great presiding genius of reform here, Sir George Paul, the dreary abode in question will ere long be abolished.

No court-yard. No water, but what is brought by the Gaoler.

Neither the Act for the preservation of Health, nor the salutary Clauses against the use of Spirituous Liquors, are here hung up. The whole Prison very dirty.