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 the same site in 1792, when the foundations of the ancient chapel were discovered. This building remained in use as the Town Gaol until 1828. Nine years after that date it was demolished and some small houses put up where it had been.

After their purchase of the Hall of the Corpus Christi Guild in 1563, the Corporation made use of the old Mayor's Hall, in Blue Boar Lane, partly as a coal store, and partly as a prison. In 1573 a stone wall was built, to divide the prisoners from the coals. But long before that time the old hall had been used for the reception of prisoners. It was enacted in 1511 that the Mayor's serjeant should have "of every prisoner committed to the hall for a fray, 4.d., and of every prisoner so committed for any other trespass, 2d. in name of a fee, to mend his wages." Eleven years afterwards, all trespassers that were committed for punishment "to Mr. Mayor's Hall," were required to take their victuals of the serjeant, "except men's" (i.e., freemen's) "sons and apprentices." Members of the governing body of the town who committed offences were punished by some kind of imprisonment in the old hall, but in the year 1580 a resolution was passed, whereby it was provided that in future "such of the 48 as shall hereafter so offend as he or they shall deserve punishment shall be punished at the new hall and no more of that company from henceforth to be punished at the old hall. But it shall be at Mr. Mayor's pleasure whether the hall door shall be locked upon any such offender or not."

It is said by Thompson that the Gainsborough had been used as a prison and court of justice as early as the reign of Henry the Seventh, and perhaps before that time. It is not mentioned, however, in the published Records of the Borough until the year 1533, when a charge was preferred of using seditious language "in a place called Geynysborow chambere standyng on the market place called Saturday Market in Leicester." It was in use as a prison in 1550. 46