The Clink facts for kids
The Clink was a famous prison in Southwark, England. It was open for a very long time, from the 1100s until 1780. This prison was special because it belonged to the Bishop of Winchester, not the king or queen.
The Bishop owned a local area called the "Liberty of the Clink." He could collect money from this area. If people didn't pay, he could send them to his prison. As a bishop, he could also imprison people who had different religious beliefs.
The Clink prison was right next to the Bishop's London home, Winchester Palace. It might have been the oldest prison for men in England. It was probably the oldest prison for women too.
No one is sure if the prison gave its name to the area, or if the area gave its name to the prison. The name "The Clink" might come from the sound of metal. Think of doors being locked or prisoners' chains rattling. Today, "the clink" is a slang word for any prison or jail cell.
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History of The Clink Prison
There has been a prison owned by the Bishop of Winchester since the year 860. Back then, it was just one cell in a college for priests. By 1076, bishops could use different punishments. These included whipping, putting people alone in a cell, or giving them only bread and water.
The Bishop of Winchester lived far away in Hampshire. He built Winchester Palace in Southwark. This was his London home, close to where he did government work. He got this land between 1144 and 1149.
The prison was made up of different buildings within the palace area. People who broke local rules were kept there to await trial. Some important people were held at The Clink. This was because the Bishop of Winchester was a powerful person in the king's government. He could also try people accused of religious crimes in his own church court.
Life Inside The Clink
The jailers (prison guards) at The Clink were paid very little. So, they found other ways to earn money. Prisoners who had money or friends outside could pay the jailers. This made their time in prison much better.
Jailers would rent out rooms, beds, blankets, candles, and even fuel. Food and drinks were sold at double the normal price. Prisoners could also pay to have lighter chains or to have them removed completely. For a fee, some prisoners were even allowed to go outside. They could beg for money or even work.
Poorer prisoners had a much harder time. They had to beg for food through grates that led to the street. They often had to sell their clothes or anything they owned just to buy food.
Rebellions and Rebuilding
In 1450, rioters attacked Winchester House. They were protesting a law about workers' wages. They saw church leaders as tax collectors. The rioters killed some clerics and freed prisoners from The Clink. Then, they burned the prison down.
The rebellion was stopped. Winchester House was rebuilt and made bigger. A new prison was also built as part of it.
At first, most prisoners were people who broke local rules. But by the 1500s, The Clink mainly held people with different religious views. These were people who disagreed with the bishops. Famous Protestant figures like John Bradford and John Hooper were held there. In later years, it mostly became a debtors' prison. This meant people who couldn't pay their debts were locked up.
The Prison's End
In 1649, Winchester House was sold to a developer. It was turned into shops, homes, and dye factories. The "Cage," a small outdoor prison, was removed for a while. Taxpayers had complained about how much it cost to keep up. But the whipping post was still used often.
By 1707, the Cage, whipping post, and stocks were all unused. They were too expensive to maintain. By 1732, only two prisoners were recorded there. In 1745, a temporary prison had to be used. The Clink was too old and falling apart. But by 1776, it was taking in debtors again.
The Clink prison was finally burned down in 1780. This happened during the Gordon Riots, a series of protests in London. The prison was never rebuilt after that fire.
The Clink Today
Today, you can visit The Clink Prison Museum. It's located on Clink Street, very close to where the original prison stood. The museum tries to show what life was like inside the old prison. It helps visitors imagine the conditions prisoners faced centuries ago.
People Held Here
- Father John Gerard, S.J. ~1595
- Father John Jones OFM ~1596–1598
- Father George Blackwell ~1607–1613
- Matthew Wilson, also known as Edward Knott, a Jesuit writer. 1629–1633
- John Lothropp
- Anne Askew
