Bridewell Prison

This article is about the landmark. You may be looking for the memory with the same name.

Bridewell Prison was a prison in New York.

History

Bridewell Prison was built in 1773 when New Gaol was becoming so large that a new prison was needed. The building was finished in 1775, but rather than being used for prisoners, the British took over and used it to contain American prisoners of war. It even held the Assassin Connor and the Templar Thomas Hickey for a brief period of time.

After the Revolutionary War ended and the British were removed from town, the prison went back to its intended purpose of holding local criminals.

The building was eventually torn down in 1838 and the parts were re-used for a new prison nicknamed "The Tombs."