Alternative Names Cambridge Castle County Gaol and Bridewell, Cambridge County Gaol, Chesterton County Gaol and House of Correction, Cambridge Prison, HMP Cambridge
Prison Type Local Prison - Common Gaol & House of Correction/Bridewell
Jurisdiction County
Date opened 14th century [1804]
Date closed post 1900 (1915)
Location built in centre of old castle yard, Castle Hill, Castle Street Cambridge
Map location exact or closely approximate
County Cambridgeshire
The use of the castle as a gaol dates from the 14th century, but the county gaol was rebuilt around 1804 (the sources dispute the exact date). From early 1850s, all county female prisoners sent to Cambridge Borough Gaol (ID 336).
Alternative Names Cambridge Castle County Gaol and Bridewell, Cambridge County Gaol, Chesterton County Gaol and House of Correction, Cambridge Prison, HMP Cambridge
Prison Type Local Prison
Jurisdiction County
Date opened 14th century [1804]
Date closed post 1900 (1915)
Location built in centre of old castle yard, Castle Hill, Castle Street Cambridge
Map location exact or closely approximate
Lat. 52.2128249 Long. 0.1120384
County Cambridgeshire
Image Attribution ©Rosalind Crone, 2018
The use of the castle as a gaol dates from the 14th century, but the county gaol was rebuilt around 1804 (the sources dispute the exact date). From early 1850s, all county female prisoners sent to Cambridge Borough Gaol (ID 336).
Year 1818
Annual Committed - 235
Daily Greatest number - 66
Year 1823
Annual Committed - 281
Daily Census - 319
Year 1828
Annual Committed - 315
Daily Census - 53
Year 1833
Annual Committed - 375
Daily Census - 78
Year 1838
Annual Confined - 442
Daily Census - 58
Year 1843
Annual Confined - 466
Daily Census - 67
Year 1848
Annual Confined - 485
Daily Daily average - 66
Year 1853
Annual Confined - 472
Daily Daily average - 22
Year 1858
Annual Committed - 229
Daily Daily average - 42
Year 1863
Annual Committed - 279
Daily Greatest number - 62
Year 1868
Annual Committed - 303
Daily Daily average - 39
Year 1873
Annual Committed - 265
Daily Daily average - 35
Year 1878
Annual Committed - 508
Daily Daily average - 92
Year 1883
Annual Committed - 505
Daily Daily average - 71
Year 1888
Annual Committed - 1058
Daily Daily average - 101
Year 1893
Annual Committed - 903
Daily -
Year 1898
Annual Committed - 758
Daily -
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: Q/SO/10-29
Collection: Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions
Description: Quarter Sessions order books (likely to contain material relating to the administration of the county gaol)
Dates: 1796-1898
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: QS1/8-31
Collection: Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions
Description: Quarter Sessions minute books (likely to contain material relating to the administration of the county gaol)
Dates: 1799-1893
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: QS2A/box 9-60
Collection: Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions
Description: Quarter Sessions Rolls (contents may include information on prison dietaries)
Dates: 1802-1899
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: 1271/O4
Collection: Cambridge Prison and Cambridge Town Gaol
Description: Cambridge Prison, register of prison officers
Dates: 1897-1916
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/17/13/Page 53
Collection: Cambridge City
Description: Agreement to a pension for Gate Keeper of Cambridge Prison
Dates: 1882
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: CB/2/CL/7/9/64
Collection: Cambridge City
Description: Papers relating to superannuation for Thomas William Sexton, Gatekeeper of HM Prison, Cambridge
Dates: 1882
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: QS/Box103/3
Collection: Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions
Description: List of 40 applications for office of Keeper of House of Correction, Cambridgeshire
Dates: 1868-1893
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: 1271/O1/1-11
Collection: Cambridge Prison and Cambridge Town Gaol
Description: Cambridge Prison, nominal registers
Dates: 1885-1916
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM2/292
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Chesterton Gaol, Cambridgeshire: register of felons (prisoners)
Dates: 1844-1857
Archive name: The National Archives
Catalogue ref: PCOM2/300
Collection: Prison Commission
Description: Cambridge Gaol, Cambridgeshire: Habitual Criminals Register, 5 July 1875 - 31 March 1877
Dates: 1875-1877
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: 1271/O2
Collection: Cambridge Prison and Cambridge Town Gaol
Description: Photographic records made under prison regulations
Dates: 1882-1905
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: CB/Co/P
Collection: Cambridge City
Description: Cambridge Borough Coroner: Reports include some deaths in County and Borough Gaols
Dates: 1836-1870
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: 372/P1
Collection: None
Description: Map of Cambridge showing the new County Gaol
Dates: 1804
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: CB/4/19/1/18
Collection: Cambridge City
Description: Survey by Rowe (map XVIII). This section of the map features the outline of the Gaol.
Dates: 1851-1857
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: R51/24/1/1, 3 and 5
Collection: Plans from Shire Hall basement
Description: Plan of the Castle Yard Cambridge' by W. M. Fawcett, County Surveyor, with tracings made (c.1877-1879) for transfer of Gaol to Prison Commissioners
Dates: 1868
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: R52/20/1-40
Collection: Cambridge Prison
Description: Plans of Cambridge Prison
Dates: c.1880-1913
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: R55/26/11/1-15
Collection: Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions
Description: 15 plans, elevations etc by G. Byfield
Dates: 1801
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: R55/26/12-15
Collection: Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions
Description: Miscellaneous plans
Dates: 1866-1899
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: R55/26/26
Collection: Cambridgeshire Quarter Sessions
Description: Four plans of Cambridge Gaol
Dates: c.1866-1927
Archive name: Cambridgeshire Archives
Catalogue ref: 23/Z179
Collection: Cambridge Antiquarian Society
Description: Lantern slide of painting showing Prison (Cambridge County Gaol)
Dates: 1815