The workhouses falling to decay; inconvenient, unhealthy, and unnecessarily expensive; an act was obtained, in 1802, for building a new workhouse, without side the city walls, capable of containing 1300 persons. Seven acres and a half of land was purchased for this purpose, in a healthy situation, near Chapel-field; but, after many meetings, and various plans and estimates offered, it was determined not to build a new house, but to enlarge and completely repair the old one in St. Andrew’s, some adjoining buildings were accordingly purchased, the whole new modelled, and made convenient and comfortable for 600 people, and if necessary, room can be made for 200 more. Bridewell is in the Mayor’s jurisdiction for the confinment of such as commit petty offences or outrages in the city, is situated in St. Andrew’s parish. The north wall of which is about 79 feet in length, by 27 in height, and is considered one of the greatest curiosities of the kind in the kingdom; it is incrusted with flints squared to about three inches each, and cut to so great a nicety, that the edge of a knife can scarcely be insinuated between the joints; it appears as regular and smooth as brick-work; it was built about the year 1370, and seems to have sustained little or no injury by time or accident, although the other parts of the building have been twice nearly consumed by fire. There are some other pieces of flint-work in the city, equally well executed, particularly on the south side of St. Michael’s Coslany church. The art of squaring flints appears to have been lost in England, but some works executed in that way within the last century in France, prove the art is in some measure recovered there. The City Gaol, till the year 1597, occupied the east end of Guild-hall, at which time it was removed to its present situation, opposite the Guild-hall in the market, and had, until that time been a public inn, called the Lamb, which was purchased by St. George’s company, to be converted to its present use.