THE TOWN AND COUNTY GAOL stands on a salubrious cliff of gravel, a short distance from the castle, and contiguous to the railway station. The building was erected in 1793, on the principles of the benevolent Howard, at an expense of £30,000. The front of the prison displays a bold and massive appearance, having two rusticated stone lodges and a gateway in the centre, over which is a fine bust of Howard, by Bacon. The building is of brick, and is spacious, airy, and well supplied with water, by means of a pump worked by the prisoners. Immediately in front of the gateway is the governor’s house, which, with certain offices, forms the southern front of the building. The chapel is an octagonal structure in the centre of the prison, and is contrived so as to separate every class of prisoners, yet, so that the minister may be seen by all the congregation. The remainder of the structure is divided into four principal courts, with several smaller ones, around which are cloisters, with sleeping rooms above for the prisoners, and cells for the refractory. A regard to the gradation of vice is strictly observed in the classification of the prisoners, many of whom are employed in some useful trade, such as shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths, &c., others are employed in picking oakum and wool. The galling and disgraceful restraints of irons are altogether dispensed with, except in cases of capital and very refractory offenders. Great attention is paid to the moral culture of the inmates by the assiduous chaplain, in order to reclaim the wanderer. Divine service is performed twice every day, except Saturday; and the prisoners are all separately catechised several times during the week. The water to supply the gaol is pumped from the Severn into a large reservoir, which will hold 2,000 gallons. The gaol is calculated to accommodate 300 prisoners, and there are 135 separate cells. During the year ending September, 1849, there was a total of 1,291 prisoners; greatest number of prisoners at any one time in the year, 203; daily average of criminals, 147; daily average of debtors, 9. Gross expenditure for the same period, £3,337. 17s. 8d. Mr. John Shepherd is the governor; and the Rev. David Winstone, chaplain. The corporate magistrates are entitled, under the act for erecting this gaol, to send to it prisoners, both criminal and civil, for whose maintenance, of course, the borough pays.