Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

January 1973. Listed, Grade II.
Early 19th century shirehall, prison and court. White brick, slated. Massive mutular Doric pediment with square columns. Cupola. Single storey wings. Arched clerestory windows to main hall and wing facades, rectangular windows to side walls of wings.
See (S1) for the complete listing details.

Tunnel connects cells to court.
To be converted to flats.
Information from (S2).
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 11 September 1989.

Rev. Armstrong recorded in his diary on the 5th October 1974 that he visited the 'horrible Swaffham jail' and described it; he noted prisoners' graffiti going back to 1798. So is this the same building? Is the prison earlier than early 19th century or has that part been rebuilt since 1874?
Information from (S3).
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA), 15 September 1997.

A door from the prison is in the Hermitage Hall Museum, Downham Market and certainly seems to be of considerable age.
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA), 28 September 1997.

Conversion now complete, and called Beech Court. Still listed, and stated to have been built 1839. However there was apparently a prison backing onto this building which may not have been rebuilt at the same time, hence Armstrong's comments, and there is also supposed to have been a 'bridewell in the market place'.
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA), 12 March 1999.

Press cutting (S2) file.

Architect was John Brown, County Surveyor. (S4).
E. Rose (NLA), 27 September 2004.

NIAS records:
To make use of the potential man-power stored up in prisons, the Visiting Justices of Swaffham Gaol commissioned miller William Cubitt to design for them a treadmill like the one he designed for the Bury St. Edmund's Gaol. It was installed in 1822 and worked by up to 45 prisoners to produce flour.
The mill caused two prisoners to escape in 1823 as its roof height allowed the prisoners to jump down from the main prison roof, from which they escaped, without fear of broken bones and/or death.
The mill also took the life of a prisoner who stumbled and fell into the mechanism.
Apart from this the mill proved highly successful for while, keeping the prisoners occupied and providing a wage for a local miller. However in 1827 plans were announced to reduce the capacity of Swaffham Gaol and increase Swaffham Bridewell Gaol. This meant that the mill would have a reduced capacity too, making it unviable. Eventually in 1838 the mill machinery was removed and sold, however the treadmill was kept as it was an asset in keeping prisoners in check.
See (S5)
W. Arnold (HES), 16 Febuary 2011

Monument Types

• COUNTY HALL (18th Century to Late 20th Century - 1800 AD? to 1989 AD?)
• COURT HOUSE (18th Century to Late 20th Century - 1800 AD? to 1989 AD?)
• PRISON (18th Century to Late 20th Century - 1800 AD? to 1989 AD?)
• TUNNEL (18th Century to 21st Century - 1800 AD? to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• Listed Building

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Swaffham (Parish Summary)