Newgate Prison served as an architectural reminder of one's own demise through mearly existing. Small mistakes and petty crimes could end up costing someone their life. The building is described as "just as harsh and frightening" inside and out, notorious for disease, lice and vermin. From its opening in 1188, this hell on earth survived the Great Fire of London and Gordon Riots but was removed in 1904 and replaced with the Central Criminal Court, also known as the "Old Bailey".
Oscar Wilde endured prison here, and other notable revolutionaries of their times, like Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Fry, were outspoken of the horrid conditions that existed at Newgate, and protested for better and more humane treatment of people.
Image Source:
Berthoud, Peter. “A Grim View inside Newgate Prison in the 1890s.” Peter Berthoud, 28 May 2012, www.peterberthoud.co.uk/post/a-grim-view-inside-newgate-prison-in-the-1890s.
Works Cited:
“The History of London’s Newgate Prison.” London Museum, 2024, www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/history-londons-newga....