Southwell

House of Correction Chapel

Newark Archdeaconry

Newark and Southwell Deanery

Introduction

The original House of Correction in Southwell was at the site now occupied by the Police Station.

It was built in 1611 in response to a law of James I that said there was to be a house of correction in every shire. A new state-of-the-art prison was built in 1808 following meetings between reformer, James Neild, and the Revd J T Becher in the early 19th century, which included a substantial chapel. As capital and corporal punishments were replaced with custodial sentences, and for other reasons, it became necessary to expand the facility and, in 1816, five new wings were added in an arc formation including an enlarged chapel in the middle wing.

The shell of this three-story wing remains intact and the chapel is thought to have occupied the whole of the upper storey. Construction is of red brick with a pitched slate roof, high stone-arched and glazed windows to the front and rear and entrance doors to separate inmates’ wards across the end walls.

Thanks to Rob Smith for this information