Durham County Gaol

Overview

Details

Records

Overview

Alternative Names   Durham County Gaol and Bridewell

Prison Type   Local Prison -  Common Gaol

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   [15th century]

Date closed   1819

Location   Saddler Street   Durham

Map location   exact or closely approximate

County   Durham

Critical Remarks

The foundation date for the old County Gaol on Saddler Street is not known. However, it was rebuilt in the early fifteenth century.

Prison Info

Alternative Names   Durham County Gaol and Bridewell

Prison Type   Local Prison

Jurisdiction   County

Date opened   [15th century]

Date closed   1819

Location   Saddler Street   Durham

Map location   exact or closely approximate
Lat.   54.7760832  Long.   -1.5754061

County   Durham

Critical Remarks

The foundation date for the old County Gaol on Saddler Street is not known. However, it was rebuilt in the early fifteenth century.

Prisoner Statistics

 

Year 1818

Annual Committed   -   203

Daily Greatest number   -   94

Principal Primary Sources

  • James Neild, The State of the Prisons of England, Scotland and Wales (London, 1812), p.177
  • Account of Gaols, Houses of Correction or Penitentiaries in the United Kingdom, 1818 (Parl. Papers, 1819, XVII.371), p.12

Additional Primary Sources

  • Joseph John Gurney, Notes of a visit made to some of the prisons in Scotland and the north of England, in company with Elizabeth Fry: with some general observations on the subject of prison discipline (London, 1819), p. 9

Secondary Sources

  • https://community.dur.ac.uk/4schools.resources/Crime/Durhamprison1.htm

Management

Archive name: Durham County Record Office

Catalogue ref: Du 6/8/107-110, 117-118

Collection: None

Description: Material relating to Dr Hartwell's gaol charity

Dates: 1784-1808, 1818


Finance

Archive name: Durham County Record Office

Catalogue ref: Q/F/10

Collection: Durham Quarter Sessions

Description: Special county rate for Gaol (1809); Orders for purchasing property for site of Gaol, and for levying rates (Jul 1809 - Apr 1816)

Dates: 1809-1816


Images

Archive name: Durham County Record Office

Catalogue ref: D/CL 23/232

Collection: Durham Library Collection

Description: Gaol at Durham, demolished in 1821. Engraving by J. Bouet.

Dates: c.1820


Archive name: Durham County Record Office

Catalogue ref: D/CL 23/235

Collection: Durham Library Collection

Description: Engraving of Old Gaol and Saddler Street (possibly by Joseph Bouet)

Dates: c.1820


Archive name: Durham County Record Office

Catalogue ref: D/X 422/19

Collection: None

Description: Engraving of the old Durham Gaol (demolished 1820)

Dates: Early 19th century