Georgian

Timeline

Law and Order

Police

The Shades

The Compter

The Hole

Gaol

Greyfriars

County Gaol

Prison

County Gaol

In the 1780’s a new county gaol was built at the Forbury. All the prisoners from Castle Street and Greyfriars were transferred by 1796. The new gaol included a treadmill where prisoners would walk around a large wheel, rather like a waterwheel. At first this was used to mill flour, but then prisoners were made to walk round it as a punishment alone. 32 prisoners powered it for 10 hours a day. It was a popular form of entertainment to watch the prisoners at work. By 1842 this gaol was too small and a new one was built.