York Castle Prison

For nearly 750 years, from the time of Henry II to the end of Queen Victoria's Reign, York Castle stood as the focal point of Crime and Punishment for Yorkshire. From witches to pirates, thieves to highwaymen, traitors to political prisoners, and debtors to murderers, they all came through the walls of York Castle.

Changes to the law, methods of punishment, political factors, gender, and social status on the outside all blended together to determine the lives of the men and women held within York Castle's imposing walls. However, above all, their life would be determined by the individuals who ran the prison, both good and bad, always seeking more for themselves.

The buildings changed from being part of the fortified Castle of York, through the grandiose architecture of the eighteenth century, into oppressive buildings that typified the nineteenth-century prison. Yet today, with many of the buildings gone, the space has been opened up to be a welcoming environment for visitors to the City of York. This means that for the many annual visitors to the site, it is difficult to appreciate the significant role that York Castle once played.

In this book, the author combines past work with new resources and research to tell the story of York Castle's history as a centre of justice in Yorkshire and its significant role within the British justice system as a whole. Telling a story of both local and national importance.