The Town & County Goal. This building, a pleasant and admirably constructed brick edifice, was finished in 1793, at the expense of about £30,000, on a plan furnished by Mr. Haycock, architect, of this town. It was erected in consequence of the light diffused on the subject of prisons by the later philanthropic Mr. Howard, the old gaol being (says Mr. Howard) “both wretched in its accommodations, and a complete school of vice.” The prison is situate on the banks of the river, on a dry gravelly soil on the south-east side of the town, in the immediate vicinity of the castle, and is spacious, airy, well supplied with water, and as comfortable as these abodes of human misfortune and depravity possibly can be. The entrance is through a free stone gateway, having a lodge on each side, over the arch of which is a fine bust of Howard, presented by the late Rowland Hunt, and Thomas Knight, esquires, two county magistrates. There are reception cells in the lodges for the examination of the persons by the surgeon previous to their being lodged in the different apartments; during their continuance in the prison, criminals wear a woollen jacket, waistcoat and cap, composed of blue and yellow stripes before conviction, after which the dress is changed for one of brown and yellow. All executions take place on the flat roof of the northern lodge, when all the criminals are brought into the area before the governor’s house to witness the awful scene. This house, in which is an apartment for the magistrates, faces the entrance gate, in the centre of the west front of the prison. The chapel, which is a neat octagonal structure, well calculated for the important purposes of its erection, stands in the centre of the whole building, and is so arranged that every class of prisoners is separated and hid from each other, though all may see the officiating clergyman. The prison, the boundary wall of which encloses two acres of ground, and is 16 feet high, is divided into four principal courts, besides smaller ones, and not only are the sexes separated, but each description of prisoners are subdivided, into classes, which have each their respective courts and day rooms. The debtor’s rooms are airy and comfortable, commanding many pleasing views of the adjacent country. At the eastern extremity is the infirmary, near which the under keeper resides, who has constantly for sale various articles manufactured by the prisoners, the profits of which are applied for their benefit.