County Gaol |
| Hob Uid: 1126951 | |
Location :
Cheshire West and Chester
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : SJ4040065600 |
| Summary : The County Gaol at Chester Castle was presented to the Quarter Sessions in August 1784 as being insufficient, inconvenient and in need of repair. An architectural competition was held in 1785 for designs for a new gaol on the site of the present one. Thomas Harrison was announced winner in February 1786. By July 1787 doubts had been raised as the suitability of the castle partly because of the expense, and in the following January alternative situations were suggested. It was decided to build the new gaol on or near the site of the existing one and in November 1788 it was ordered that work should start on the foundations. The felon's prison at Chester was half polygonal in plan, with five ranges around a central chapel and governor's house. The wings were raised on arcades and were single-sided with external galleries. Flanking the governor's house were two wings containing work cells. On the other side of the governor's house was the County Hall and between the two were further prison buildings ranged around two courtyards. Rooms for male debtors surrounded the debtor's yard and rooms for female debtors and an infirmary flanked the women's yard. In 1819 the gaol was capable of holding 100 prisoners. A new building was added to the site in 1832. It was designed by William Cole junior and contained 52 sleeping cells, male and female infirmaries and the matron's apartments. It lay north-east of the felons' prison, was H-shaped in plan and had between three and five stories because of the fall of the land. Further alterations and additions were made or proposed in the mid and late nineteenth century. Other changes were made in the 1850s. A new building, designed by Robert Griffiths of Stafford, was erected between 1867 and 1870. In 1881 Chester prison was divided to allow joint military and civilian use. It was discontinued in 1893 and sold to Chester County Council for £4,680. |
| More information : The County Gaol at Chester Castle was presented to the Quarter Sessions in August 1784 as being insufficient, inconvenient and in need of repair. An architectural competition was held in 1785 for designs for a new gaol on the site of the present one. Thomas Harrison was announced winner in February 1786. By July 1787 doubts had been raised as the suitability of the castle partly because of the expense, and in the following January alternative situations were suggested. It was decided to build the new gaol on or near the site of the existing one and in November 1788 it was ordered that work should start on the foundations. The felon's prison at Chester was half polygonal in plan, with five ranges around a central chapel and governor's house. The wings were raised on arcades and were single-sided with external galleries. Flanking the governor's house were two wings containing work cells. On the other side of the governor's house was the County Hall and between the two were further prison buildings ranged around two courtyards. Rooms for male debtors surrounded the debtor's yard and rooms for female debtors and an infirmary flanked the women's yard. In 1819 the gaol was capable of holding 100 prisoners. A new building was added to the site in 1832. It was designed by William Cole junior and contained 52 sleeping cells, male and female infirmaries and the matron's apartments. It lay north-east of the felons' prison, was H-shaped in plan and had between three and five stories because of the fall of the land. Further alterations and additions were made or proposed in the mid and late nineteenth century. Other changes were made in the 1850s. A new building, designed by Robert Griffiths of Stafford, was erected between 1867 and 1870. In 1881 Chester prison was divided to allow joint military and civilian use. It was discontinued in 1893 and sold to Chester County Council for £4,680. (1) |