New Fish Street hill, New Fish street.
Newgate, is situated 1037 feet south west from Aldersgate, and is thought by most Antiquarians, to be so denominated from its being first erected in the reign of Henry I. several ages after the four original gates of the city: Howel is however of a contrary opinion, and asserts that it was only repaired in the above reign, and that it was anciently denominated Chamberlain gate; tho’ it is very extraordinary, that this gate is not once mentioned before the conquest. But be this as it will, it appears from ancient records, that it was called Newgate, and was a common jail for felons taken in the city of London, or the county of Middlesex, so early as the year 1218; and that so lately as the year 1457, Newgate, and not the Tower, was a prison for the nobility and great officers of state.
At length Newgate being much damaged by the fire of London in 1666, the present beautiful structure was erected. The west side is adorned with three ranges of Tuscan pilasters, with their entablatures, and in the inter-columniations are four niches, in one of which is a figure representing Liberty; the word Libertas is inscribed on her cap, and at her feet lies a cat, in allusion to Sir Richard Whittington, a benefactor to the prison, who is said to have made the first step to his good fortune by a cat.
The inside of the gate is also adorned with a range of pilasters, with their entablatures, and in three niches are the figures of Justice, Mercy and Truth.
The author of The Review observes,
“That Newgate considered as a prison, is a structure of more cost and beauty than was necessary, because the sumptuousness of the outside but aggravates the misery of the wretches within: but as a gate to such a city as London, it might have received considerable additions both of design and execution, and abundantly answered the cost in the reputation of building. The gate of a city erected rather for ornament than use, ought to be in the style of the ancient triumphal arches; and it must be allowed, that hardly any kind of building, admits of more beauty or perfection.”
If Newgate be considered as a prison, it is indeed a very dismal one. It is the county jail for Middlesex, both for debtors and malefactors, as well as the city prison for criminals. The debtor rendered unfortunate by the vicissitudes of trade, or unforeseen losses, has the reproach of being confined in the same prison with the greatest villains; and too often his being in Newgate is imputed by the ignorant to crimes which he abhors. On the other hand, those confined as criminals, are, even before they are found guilty by the laws of their country, packed so close together, that the air being corrupted by their stench and nastiness, occasions a dismal contagious disease, called the Jail distemper, which has frequently carried off great numbers, and even spread its contagion to the Court of Justice, where they take their trials. But to prevent these dreadful effects the city has introduced a ventilator on the top of Newgate, to expel the foul air, and make way for the admission of such as is fresh; and during the sessions herbs are also strewed in the Justice Hall, and the passages to it, to prevent infection.
In this prison there are however commodious and airy apartments for the use of such as are able to pay for them; and the advantage of a private passage behind the houses to Justice Hall in the Old Bailey, where they are in no danger of being rescued, while going to, or coming back from their trials. It is to be wished that this prison was made still more commodious; that the little cells of the malefactors were enlarged and rendered more airy, and that the proposal so often talked of, of building another prison for the debtors, was carried into execution.
Newgate Market, before the dreadful fire of London, was kept in Newgate street, where there was a market house for meal, and a middle row of sheds, which Maitland says, were afterwards converted into houses, inhabited by butchers, tripesellers, &c. while the country people, who brought provisions to the city, were forced to stand with their stalls in the open street, where their persons and goods were exposed to danger by the passage of coaches, carts, and cattle that passed through the streets. This must be allowed to have been a very inconvenient market, and the houses or sheds in the middle of the street, must almost have choaked up the passage, or at least have rendered it liable to frequent obstructions. At that time Butcher hall lane was filled with slaughter houses for the use of this market, and Blowbladder street was rendered remarkable by blown bladders hanging in the windows of the shops, where bladders were sold.
After the fire of London, which afforded an opportunity of rendering the new streets more commodious than the old ones had been, it was ordered by act of parliament that Newgate market should be removed from the street, and a square was formed on the south side for that purpose, surrounded by decent houses. This square is 194 feet long from east to west, and 148 feet broad from north to south. In the middle is a market house, under which are vaults or cellars, and the upper part of the building is employed as a kind of warehouse for the fruiterers, and the keepers of green stalls by night. In the shops under this building tripe and other things are sold, and in the middle near the market house are sold fruit and greens. At a convenient distance are shops for butchers, the sellers of butter, &c. and the houses beyond these, which extend along the sides of the market, are also taken up by butchers. It may be proper to observe with respect to the butter shops, that some of these contract for the produce of several dairies, and that it is not uncommon for one of these shops to take 30 or 40l. for butter alone, in a morning, even before eight or nine o’clock. The passages to the market from Paternoster row and Newgate street, are taken up with poulterers, bacon shops, fishmongers, and cheesemongers.