Fleet Prison

Fleet Prison stood beside the River Fleet in London from 1197 until 1844. Built soon after the river, it became known for holding people sent by the Star Chamber and later for debtors and those in contempt of the Court of Chancery. In 1381 Wat Tyler’s men burned it during the Peasants’ Revolt. By the 15th century it was considered more comfortable than Ludgate, though inmates still paid for every service. After the Great Fire of 1666 it was rebuilt by the warden Sir Jeremy Whichcote at his own cost. The prison gained a reputation for cruelty in the 18th century. Thomas Bambridge, warden from 1728, was accused of extortion and torture by a House of Commons committee. Around 300 prisoners and their families lived there, divided between a harsh common side and a more open master’s side. Outside the walls lay the Liberty of the Fleet, where debtors could live under loose supervision. The prison also hosted clandestine Fleet Marriages from 1613 until they were outlawed. Notable inmates included the poet John Donne, held in 1601 over his marriage, and John Byrom’s son Samuel, who wrote against prison abuses. The adventurer Jørgen Jørgensen and the naval surveyor Edmund Dummer both died there. After closure in 1842 the site was demolished, yielding millions of bricks and tons of lead. Today nothing remains above ground, yet the name Fleet still marks the spot near Farringdon Street.