Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
The overlays that highlight 17th century London features are approximate and derived from Wenceslaus Hollar’s maps:
Open location in Google Maps: 51.524700, -0.106100
There were two prisons in Clerkenwell, “Bridewell” (c.1615–1794, on Wikipedia) and the “New Prison” (c.1617–1877, on Wikipedia).
It’s unclear which of the two Pepys refers to, although he usually calls it the “new” prison.
Neither is to be confused with the other Bridwell Prison, formerly part of Bridewell Palace, closer to the River Thames.
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Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.
5 Annotations
First Reading
Terry F • Link
New Bridewell was a prison built c. 1617 next to Clerkenwell Bridewell, which was a prison located in Clerkenwell http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… named 'Bridewell' after the Bridewell Palace, which during the 16th century had become one of the City of London's most important prisons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cler…
Pedro • Link
Bridewell
From The Book of Days (1869)
Adjoining to St. Bride's Churchyard, Fleet-street, is an ancient well dedicated to the saint, and commonly called Bride's Well. A palace erected near by took the name of Bridewell. This being given by Edward VI to the city of London as a workhouse for the poor and a house of correction, the name became associated in the popular mind with houses having the same purpose in view. Hence it has arisen that the pure and innocent Bridget--the first of Irish nuns--is now inextricably connected in our ordinary national parlance with a class of beings of the most opposite description.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
For the new prison see the upper left-hand corner of this 1746 map
http://www.motco.com/map/81002/Se…
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
I think Terry's first annotation is correct.
The old Bridewell Palace/Prison in Whitefriars burned down in the Great Fire of 1666. So there was a "New" Bridewell built there during Diary times, but Pepys didn't go there.
But both of these references are in 1664, so they refer to the Bridewell of Clerkenwell https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
San Diego Sarah • Link
The new prison at Clerkenwell was built next door to the Clerkenwell Bridewell prison.
There were dozens of Bridewell prisons built around England, for very poor people, loose women (well, that is how they supported their miserable lives), and vagrants.
Pepys notes are ambiguous about visiting the "new Bridewell" in 1664 -- when they were all about 60 years old. It's possible these annotations belong here:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…