MORPETH ARMS PIMLICO

MORPETH ARMS IN MILLBANK, PIMLICO
Ghosts of prisoners are said to haunt the cellar of this pub. Manager Georgia Stewart believes the spirits have stayed since the 18th Century when prisoners from Millbank Penitentiary were kept there before being shipped to Australia.
"A lot of staff are frightened to go down there because it's so creepy and dark," she said. "Things go missing then reappear in the same place and people have seen cloaked figures walking around." She added that she lives above the pub and has heard knocking late at night.

Barman Checks out the Old Prison Cells under the pub
http://knowledgeoflondon.com/images/barman.jpg

Address:
Morpeth Arms
58 Millbank
Pimlico
Greater London
SW1P 4RW

Telephone: 020 7834 6442

Millbank Prison was a large prison built in Millbank, Pimlico, London. Work started in 1812 and it opened in 1821. It was designed on the Panopticon principle by Jeremy Bentham.

In the Handbook of London in 1850 it was described as....

MILLBANK PRISON. A mass of brickwork equal to a fortress, on the left bank of the Thames, close to Vauxhall Bridge; erected on ground bought in 1799 of the Marquis of Salisbury, and established pursuant to 52 Geo. III., c.44, passed Aug 20th, 1812. It was designed by Jeremy Bentham, to whom the fee-simple of the ground was conveyed, and is said to have cost the enormous sum of half a million sterling. The external walls form an irregular octagon, and enclose upwards of sixteen acres of land. Its ground-plan resembles a wheel, the governor's house occupying a circle in the centre, from which radiate six piles of building, terminating externally in towers. The ground on which it stands is raised but little above the river, and was at one time considered unhealthy. It was first named "The Penitentiary," or "Penitentiary House for London and Middlesex," and was called "The Millbank Prison" pursuant to 6 & 7 of Victoria, c.26. It is the largest prison in London. Every male and female convict sentenced to transportation in Great Britain is sent to Millbank previous to the sentence being executed. Here they remain about three months under the close inspection of the three inspectors of the prison, at the end of which time the inspectors report to the Home Secretary, and recommend the place of transportation. The number of persons in Great Britain and Ireland condemned to transportation every year amounts to about 4000. So far the accommodation of the prison permits, the separate system is adopted. Admission to inspect - order from the Secretary for the Home Department, or the Inspector of Prisons.

It was used for convicts until 1886 and demolished in 1890. the Tate Gallery (now Tate Britain) was built on part of the site that it occupied, opening in 1897.

wow this place sounds really cool , would be worth doing an investigation there maybe somebody should try and contact them .

greets
ian

Hi
wld have to agree withg ian on this one read this with much intrested good post
this place is a must maybe luara or gail can get in much with the right ppl
phil

Sounds really good.....over to the girls

as soon as i return ppl i will get working with laura on this does sound exciting

Very exciting, I think this place would be a great learning experience and could possibly produce some good results. When contact has been made, please let Ian and myself know girls.

Thanks Bongo for this great find....