| Summary : HMP Oxford was on the site of part of the medieval castle of Oxford. The west tower and the eastern part of the crypt of St. George's Tower survive. A castle gaol is first mentioned in 1230, and by the 1780s the remnants of the castle were still in use as a prison. In the mid 1780s, as part of a national movement to reform prison conditions, the Oxfordshire magistrates began a long programme to build a new prison on part of the site of the medieval castle. William Blackburn was employed as the architect, and before his death in 1790 the south-east wing (C-Wing) had been completed. This had an arcaded ground floor with cells on the top floor. The north-west wing (D-Wing) had not been begun by circa 1795, but follows the same design as the earlier wing. It was probably built by Daniel Harris who was keeper of the gaol, architect and builder. William Blackburn also built the pair of two storied blocks which lie between the west ends of the two eighteenth century wings. They were cell blocks, and originally flanked the Governor's House, now demolished. A new Governor's House was built in 1847-8 by Benjamin Ferrey, but the old house was still in use as offices and a meeting room in 1875. In the early 19th century the entrance range was built at the east side of the site. It was extended between 1835 and 1850 when a large block containing a tall chapel above a new kitchen was added to the west side of the range. Between 1848 and 1850 a female wing was built at the south side of the site. This had been demolished but part of the washhouse built at the same time, on the north side of the cell blocks, survives. A two storied office block was added to the north end of the washhouse in the late 19th century. A-Wing was built between 1852 and 1856. It is one of the dozens of prison blocks inspired by the design of Pentonville. HMP Oxford closed in 1993 and reopened in December of that year due to prison overcrowding. The prison finally closed in 1997. |