Bridewell Palace, Royal palace and orphanage near Fleet Street, London, England
Bridewell Palace was a royal residence near Fleet Street in London, extending along the Fleet River with several courtyards and direct Thames access through water gates. The complex consisted of living quarters, halls, and service buildings spread across a larger site between the river and the street.
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey received the estate in 1510 and later transferred it to Henry VIII, who transformed it into an expanded royal residence. From the mid-16th century, the site gradually changed into an institution for orphans and later a prison, until it was demolished in the 19th century.
The name refers to Saint Bridget of Kildare, whose well once flowed near the palace site. Later, the place became known for a system where apprentices learned practical skills from working craftsmen on the premises, creating an early model of vocational training.
The former palace site now lies beneath modern office buildings, with a reconstructed gatehouse visible at 14 New Bridge Street. You can reach the area easily on foot from Blackfriars Bridge or from Fleet Street, which runs nearby.
In 1700, the institution became the first prison in England to employ medical staff, establishing new standards for correctional facility healthcare. This early provision attracted later international visitors who studied the system and imitated it elsewhere.
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