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Ancestry UK

Debtors' Prison, Winchester, Hampshire

A Debtors' Prison existed in Winchester's West Gate by at least the mid-seventeenth century.

West Gate, Winchester, c.1905.

In 1784, John Howard wrote:

A Prison for Debtors, the Cheney Court in and for the liberty of the Soke: the property of the Bishop. Two rooms, one 17 feet square, the other near 9, and 6½ high. Out of repair. There is a garden into which prisoners who give security are admitted. The bounty of the duke of Chandos did supply this prison every week., (when there were prisoners) with one gallon loaf, and about twenty pounds of beef. Fees, 17s. 10d. no table. Licence for beer. Clauses against spirituous liquors not hung up. Several people drinking, as in a disorderly alehouse.

1775, Dec. 28,Prisoners 6.
1779, Mar. 1,0.
1782, Feb. 25,1.

The prison closed in the 1785, with part of the County Gaol on Jewry Street then being used to house debtors.

The surviving part of the West Gate now houses a museum.

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.

  • No individual records identified for this establishment — any information welcome.
  • The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. Has a wide variety of crime and prison records going back to the 1770s, including calendars of prisoners, prison registers and criminal registers.
  • Find My Past has digitized many of the National Archives' prison records, including prisoner-of-war records, plus a variety of local records including Manchester, York and Plymouth. More information.
  • Prison-related records on Ancestry UK include Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951, and local records from London, Swansea, Gloucesterhire and West Yorkshire. More information.
  • The Genealogist also has a number of National Archives' prison records. More information.

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.