Newgate Prison 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 of
Newgate Prison she presented evidence to the House of Commons improvements were made. In 1858, the interior was rebuilt with individual cells. In November 1835 James Pratt and John Smith were the last two men to be executed for sodomy. From 1868, public executions were discontinued and executions were carried out on gallows inside Newgate, in a shed built in an inner yard. Dead Man's Walk was a long stone-flagged passageway, partly open to the sky and roofed with iron mesh (thus also known as Birdcage Walk). Executed criminals were buried beneath its flagstones and their initials engraved into the stone wall