Monument record TR 15 NE 1887 - Former site of Canterbury Prison

In January 1805 the decision was taken to build a new prison on a more convenient site rather than repair the existing one. George Byfield was appointed architect with a brief to design a gaol and house of correction for 50 inmates and a new sessions house. Alterations to the brief were soon made. There were to be no debtors at Canterbury, assize prisoners were to be sent to Maidstone and there was to be no new sessions house unless it cost under £1000. In March it was decided the new prison need hold only 48, by April this figure had been reduced to 40, with expansion room. The first brick was laid on 28th February 1806. At Canterbury, a central, two storey octagonal building contained the keeper's house, with the chapel occupying part of the first floor. Radiating out from it were three detached wings to the north, west and east. The east and west wings had two stories and the north had three floor levels. To the south was the entrance lodge. The wings were divided in half by a central longitudinal wall. By 1819 there had been an increase in the number of classifications of prisoners, although the total number of inmates had not risen. The prison was capable of holding 41 inmates in 11 classes. There were seven day rooms, four workrooms, four rooms for felons before and after trial, infirmaries and 41 separate cells. A plan of 1820 shows internal walls being added to ground floor day rooms to create cells. A new 40 cell wing was completed in 1849. It cost £3465. Further alterations were undertaken in 1849 when the central building was heightened by a storey to accommodate a new chapel. In 1859 the east wing was extended, a kitchen attached to the entrance lodge and the treadwheels and workshops rearranged. Two new wings were built between 1877 and 1890. During World War One the prison was used as a Home Office archive store. It closed in March 1922. During World War Two it served as a naval detention centre before re-opening as a local prison in 1947.

Historic England archive material: BF093755 HMP CANTERBURY, 46 LONGPORT, CANTERBURY

Only the entrance block still remains. The original prison had a central three storey ‘hub’ containing he governor’s house, with the chapel occupying part of the first floor. Radiating from this were three detached wings. The north wing had three floors, with the other two having two storeys.

The site served as a Home Office archive during the First World War and as a Navy detention centre during the Second World War.

The prison closed on 31st March 2013. (1)

<1> Heritage Collective, 2013, Archaeological desk-based assessment, HMP Canterbury (Unpublished document). SKE52399.