Page:Mediaevalleicest00billrich.djvu/69

, the prison was pulled down within a few years of his last visit, and a new County Gaol was then built on the site of the old one. This building, which cost £6,000, was first inhabited in 1793, and one of its earliest occupants is said to have been George Moneypenny, its architect, who thus became a victim of his own handiwork, like the more celebrated artist Perillus.

The present gaol in the Welford Road was built in 1828, and from that time the county gaol in Highcross Street continued in use as a town prison. It was demolished about the year 1880.

It would appear that the guarding of prisoners taken within the town and suburbs of Leicester at one time belonged to the Earl's bailiffs. But in the course of the 14th century, as the community grew in power, they claimed to keep their own prisoners. In the year 1375 they obtained from John of Gaunt a formal recognition of their right to do so. They did, however, actually use a prison of their own long before this charter was granted, for a town prison, "prisona villae Leycestriae," is mentioned as early as 1297, and in the opening years of the 14th century we frequently read of prisoners being taken to the "town prison," or escaping from it. Indeed, the Mayor of Leicester, in his account for the year 1323, takes credit for materials and labour which were used " for making the prison in the High Street." The amount expended (two shillings), is so small that the entry cannot relate to any new building, but perhaps indicates that a house already existing was repaired or adapted to hold prisoners. It may be concluded that some building standing in the old High Street, was in use as a prison at the beginning of the 14th century or earlier.

After the Reformation a new town prison was built on the site of the Chapel of St. John's Hospital, at the corner of the old High Street and St. John's Lane, afterwards Causeway Lane. Thompson gives the date of its erection as 1614. Writing about 1791, Throsby said that. it was at that time "a despicable place," and "beneath description." Another building was erected on 45