House of Correction
Located on the west side of Windermere Road (also known as House of Correction Hill) on the corner of it's junction with Queens Road.
It is now housing - flats and houses some converted from the prison buildings - 1-12 Fellside Court, 24-42 Windermere Road and 2 Queens Road.
Kendal’s town prison - built at northern end of the town, probably pre-1700, to replace the dungeon under the Moot Hall. Rebuilt 1785 it became the County Gaol after the closure of the gaol at Appleby in 1888; closed as a civilian prison 1894; but used as a military prison for a while. The site sold for redevelopment 1907.
Description from Cornelius Nicholson's Annals of Kendal p150
THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION.This commodious and well built prison-house stands on the site of an ancient "house of correction," which, in 1776, is thus minutely described in the State of Prisons, published about that time, by Howard the philanthropist.
"Only one room for men and women, 18ft., by 13ft., with one window, about 2ft. square; no chimney; no court; no water; no sewer. The keeper has a garden; salary, £6. 10s.; no fees. The town prisoners are allowed sixpence a day; the country prisoners four-pence.
"Jan. 23, .... Prisoners 3—two men and a woman.
Sep. 18, .... „ 0—Deserter one"
Again, in three years afterwards, 1779, Mr. Howard visited it, and makes the following minute:
"May 11, .... Prisoners 0." Note 1 (It is worthy of note, that at this latter visit, there was not one prisoner in the county Bridewell, at Appleby.)
The "one room," above described, comprised the whole building; which served to accommodate the keeper, his family, and the prisoners, who all lived together. It was an ill-built house (now past all remembrance), with a thatched roof, and must consequently have been a very insecure and inconvenient prison-house. Over the door was a stone, inscribed with the following distich:
"If people woulde be goode and live in feare The Justices woulde never send them here."
The present structure presents a striking contrast to the one above described, in magnitude, and in every requisite for a prison. It occupies an area of 2,000 yards, fenced by a thick wall, in some places 14 yards high. There are 53 night cells, about 6ft. by 8ft., fitted up with clean beds, and an ample supply of warm clothing. These are distributed through nine spacious yards or wards, with day rooms, cooking rooms, &c, plentifully supplied with water, which is conveyed into recipient cisterns, in different parts of the buildings, above and below, by the action of a forcing pump. The surplus water, &c, is carried off by a common sewer. On the second story, are seven debtors' rooms, having three beds in each room, comfortably furnished, and well ventilated. The yards and apartments for the different sexes are perfectly distinct and disunited. The cleanliness and regularity of the prison are admirable throughout ; and the attention paid to the bodily comforts of the prisoners is also highly creditable to the benevolent feelings of the governor.
The building has grown to its present dimensions by erections at different periods since the year 1817, and is estimated to have cost £5,500.
Governor: Mr. Christopher Fawcett.
Salary, £100 per annum; one half of which is paid by the borough, and the other by the county.
Officiating Chaplain : Kev. H. K Collier.
