Newgate

Newgate was one of the seven gates in the London Wall that once surrounded the City of London. It stood on the western side of the wall and dated back to Roman times. The gate controlled the road leading west over the River Fleet towards Middlesex and western England. From the 12th century, parts of the gate were used as a prison, which later grew into Newgate Prison. The gate was also known as Chamberlains Gate and was linked to a nearby landholding called the Chamberlain’s Soke. The gate’s history includes notable events such as the execution of Jack Cade after his rebellion failed. Archaeological excavations in the 19th and early 20th centuries uncovered its Roman structure, revealing a double roadway flanked by two square guard towers. Newgate Prison expanded southward over time, occupying the site where the Central Criminal Court now stands. The gate itself was demolished in 1767, but its name lives on in Newgate Street, part of the A40 route. Today, Newgate Street runs from Cheapside to the former site of the gate, continuing towards Holborn Viaduct. Nearby, Christ Church Greyfriars’ ruins lie in public gardens north of the street, while Paternoster Square leads towards St Paul’s Cathedral to the south. A Roman tile found in the area bears a humorous inscription about a man named Austalis. The road once extended further west, forming part of the historic Devil’s Highway to Silchester and Bath.