C 332 ] 



DORSET COIXNTY GAOL. 



IN this building are united the County Gaol, Peni- 

 tentiary Houfe, and Houfe of Correftion. It 

 (lands on an eminence, on the north fide of the town 

 of Dorchefler, on a piece of ground flill called the 

 Caftle, and which was formerly the fite of a building 

 of that defcription, at the foot of which flows the 

 river Froome. It is bounded by a wall, about twenty 

 feet high above the furface of the ground, which, 

 from the turnkey's lodge, fituate at the north fide 

 of it, completely furrounds the whole of the build- 

 ings, courts. Sec. &c. The ground on which it is 

 erefted was, in a mofl handfome manner, given by 

 Francis John Browne, efq; one of the members 

 for the county. The architcft was the late inge- 

 nious Mr. Blackburn, the friend of Howard! 



The buildings confifl of the lodge; of the keeper's 

 houfe, with the chapel, debtors' day-rooms, female 

 fines and female debtors' rooms, vifiting-rooms for 

 male debtors, fines and felons, infirmaries, &c.; and 

 of four wings detached from, but communicating 

 with, the centre building on each fi:pry by means of 

 cafl-iron bridges from the feveral galleries. There 

 are feparate fleeping cells for eighty-eight prifoners, 

 which are diftributed in the feveral buildings, as may 

 be feen by a reference to the annexed plans j and two 



airy 



