Building record MDO19251 - Dorchester Prison, North Square, Dorchester
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Summary
Originally built to the plans of William Blackburn between 1789 and 1794, on the former site of the medieval castle. The prison was rebuilt 1878-1885 following the layout of the Pentonville model and only Blackburn's gatehouse remains.
Map
Type and Period (14)
- PRISON (Georgian to Victorian - 1789 AD to 1885 AD)
- MILITARY PRISON (Victorian - 1870 AD to 1878 AD)
- CARPENTERS WORKSHOP (Victorian - 1837 AD to 1837 AD)
- LODGE (Hanoverian - 1833 AD to 1834 AD)
- CELL BLOCK (Georgian to Victorian - 1789 AD to 1885 AD)
- PRISON TREADMILL (Georgian - 1824 AD to 1824 AD)
- EXERCISE YARD (Georgian - 1824 AD to 1824 AD)
- STOREHOUSE (Georgian - 1824 AD to 1824 AD)
- WORKSHOP (Georgian - 1824 AD to 1824 AD)
- CHAPEL (Georgian to Victorian - 1789 AD to 1883 AD)
- HOSPITAL (Victorian - 1881 AD to 1881 AD)
- INFIRMARY (Georgian - 1789 AD to 1794 AD)
- BOUNDARY WALL (Hanoverian - 1836 AD to 1836 AD)
- STABLE (Victorian - 1837 AD to 1837 AD)
Full Description
Originally built to the plans of William Blackburn between 1789 and 1794, on the former site of the medieval castle. The prison was rebuilt 1878-1885 following the layout of the Pentonville model and only Blackburn's gatehouse remains.
The Prison, North Square, was built on the site of a Medieval castle in 1790-92, although only the rusticated Portland stone gateway with semi-circular arch on the north perimeter wall survives of this period. The remaining prison buildings date from 1884-85.
Architect WILLIAM BLACKBURN
Builder WILLIAM BATES Slater. Contracted to work on the prison at Dorchester in 1789.
Engineer JOSEPH BALL Cast iron engineer. Contracted, with Wilson Birkbet, to work on the prison at Dorchester in 1789.
Engineer WILSON BIRKBET Cast iron engineer. Contracted, with Joseph Ball, to work on the prison at Dorchester in 1789.
Person of historic interest/notable pers 1904 1905 R G ALFORD Author of "Notes on the Buildings of English Prisons", Maidstone, 1910.
Sources/Archives (6)
- <1> SDO148 Monograph: Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). 1970. An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1. Volume Two (South East) Part I. 116.
- <2> SDO18020 Map: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey 25 inch scale map. 25 inch. 1971.
- <3> SWX1290 Monograph: Newman, J, and Pevsner, N. 1972. The Buildings of England: Dorset. 183.
- <4> SDO15296 Unpublished document: Good, O. 2015. Former Dorchester Prison, Dorchester, Dorset. Archaeological Evaluation.
- <5> SDO14738 Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. BF090943.
- <6> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 453532.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (3)
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SY 69194 90906 (136m by 115m) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY69SE |
| Civil Parish | Dorchester; Dorset |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 1 041 016
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 69 SE 140
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 453532
- National Buildings Record: 90943
- Royal Commission Inventory Reference: Dorchester 16
Record last edited
Apr 1 2023 7:58AM