Anyone who is interested in finding any information on the internet about Lancaster Castle will definitely come across this sentence: “Reception Criteria: Normal reception arrangements: The prison is not presently accepting Life Sentence prisoners and has some restrictions on long term prisoners.” So if you are looking for a nice cosy atmosphere in a romantic medieval castle you’d better search again unless you want to enter the castle for a long term high quality … imprisonment.

The present day correctional facility was opened in 1955 but in fact the Castle is the oldest and longest serving prison in Europe. It has been a prison since at least 1196 when Richard I commisioned the first Keepers of the Peace.

The Romans, who invaded the ancient Britannia in 43 AD, were the first to build military facilities on the hill that later will dominate an important British city: Lancaster. It has been discovered that the first of at least three military forts on the site of the present day castle dates back to 79 AD. The main reason for building a fortified enclosure here is the commanding position on the hill overlooking a large area around and the River Lune. Initially it stood as a stronghold against the forces of Picts and later Scots. Even the name of the city reminds of its founders, in Latin castrum (plural castra) meant ‘castle’. Nowadays tourists can see in the backyard of the priory next to the castle Roman ruins and can also find some physical evidence about the ancient settlement in museums.

In the Middle Ages Lancaster maintained its importance and role as a strategic military and economical centre in the north-west of England. One who takes a look at a road map today will certainly notice that it is situated on a major highway that connects Liverpool and Manchester with the north of England and Scotland. A detail that proves its importance is the fact that during the 12th century the castle was supposed to have been temporarily occupied by the Scots under king David I.

Little is known about Lancaster until 1093 when a Norman Baron, Roger of Poitou, built here a keep. A part of this early medieval construction survived to this day and in the 18th century evidence came from archaeological excavations proved that the ruins of the original Roman construction still exist under the foundation of one of the dungeons. The foundations of the ancient fortress can be seen by tourists who enter that dungeon as the unique Roman masonary techniques are easily identifiable in what is called Hadrian’s Tower. Actually this part of the castle was used as a lunatic asylum for the county.

In the 14th century John of Gaunt, a son of king Edward III of England (1312-1377), substantially transformed the castle and created one of the two Royal Duchies in England, the Duchy of Lancaster, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. Nowadays the Duchy is not the property of The Crown, but is instead the personal inherited property of the monarch and has been since 1399. Thus today Queen Elizabeth II is loyally mentioned by the people of Lancashire as ‘The Queen, the Duke of Lancaster’.

This old castle is also famous for being the site of the trial of Pendle Witches in 1612. The Lancashire Witches, as they are also known as, lived at the beginning of the 17th century. James I (1603-1625) firmly believed in the existence of witchcraft and passed an Act which imposed the death penalty for any attempt to use magic and charms. Two families headed by elderly widows were accused of witchcraft. Some of the defendants were tried at Lancaster Castle. The Judges sentenced 10 people to death, among those who were hanged on the moor above the town being Katherine Hewitt, Ann Redfearn and Alison Device. Another famous ‘resident’ of Lancaster Castle was George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement, who was imprisoned here for 2 years.

Until 1800 law offenders sentenced to death were executed at the place called Gallows Hill on a hill near Williamson Park. The executions brought people from al over the North West of England who witnessed the hangings. After 1800 all the executions took place at Lancaster Castle at “Hanging Corner”. Stephen Burke was the last criminal to be hanged on the premises of the castle. On the 25th of March 1865 he was executed for the murder of his wife.

 

Until 1866 when the Bankruptcy Act was passed, Lancaster Castle housed between 300 and 400 debtors at any time. People who had not money to pay theirs debts were ‘required’ to work within the prison and in return they got 3ozs bread and 4ozs oatmeal daily, 1oz salt and 10lb potatoes weekly. Nowadays one can hardly imagine who did those people survived with so little food available.

Visitors and Visits

Among the Royals who visited the Castle are worth mentioning the visits of James I in 1617, prince Louis Napoleon in 1846, queen Victoria in 1851, George V in 1913, Queen Elizabeth II in 1969, 1977 and HM’s visit in 1999.

Tourists interested in visiting Lancaster Castle can check the opening times and if interested they can book for a guided tour. Two of the halls in the Castle draw attention. One is the Crown Court where thousands of criminals convicted for various crimes were transported to Australia. One should not miss the guide’s explanations here as they are asked to provide any available information about the direct descendants of those who were exiled to Australia.

The present day magnificent Shire Hall is the result of a refurbishment of the castle that took place at the end of the 18th century. It was was built in the Mock Gothic style and the best known objects in the room are the shileds of the sheriffs (the smallest), the Constables of the Castle (medium sized) and of the Monarchy (the largest).

Tourists visiting Lancaster cannot miss this wonderfully preserved castle. Situated on the top of a hill it has been dominating the city for more than 1,000 years. In addition people living nearby say that from time to time the souls of those who were executed here come back to visit the living. So if you are lucky enough you might meet again Katherine Hewitt, Ann Redfearn or George Fox and ask them how are, or better said, were they.