Newgate Prison Notes Newgate Prison Newgate Prison was a prison at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey just inside the City of London, England, originally at the site of Newgate, a gate in the Roman London Wall. Built in the 12th century and demolished in 1904, the prison was extended and rebuilt many times, and remained in use for over 700 years, from 1188 to 1902. In the early 12th century, Henry II instituted legal reforms that gave the Crown more control over the administration of justice. As part of his Assize of Clarendon of 1166, he required the construction
Old Newgate Prison Prison. Attempts were made to reactivate the mines in the 1830s and 1850s, but these ventures failed. The site has been considered a tourist attraction since the 1860s. Nearby Peak Mountain offers a bird's eye view of Old Newgate Prison from the Metacomet Trail. The mine complex was acquired by the state historic commission in 1968. In the 1970s the state rehabilitated the old guardhouse for use as a visitors center and interpretive museum, and took other steps to stabilize the ruins. They also constructed a sloping tunnel to provide visitors access via stairs to the mines. The museum and