Millbank Prison, Former prison in City of Westminster, England
Millbank Prison was a complex featuring six pentagonal cell blocks surrounding a central chapel, with administrative offices and laundries connected by corridors. The layout followed a radial design that was typical of 19th-century prison architecture.
The prison opened in 1816 and held convicts awaiting transportation to Australia until 1853, when it transformed into a military detention facility. It later ceased operation before the site was eventually redeveloped.
The prison appears in works by Charles Dickens, Henry James, and Arthur Conan Doyle as a symbol of confinement. These literary references shaped how people understood imprisonment during that era.
The prison complex no longer exists and has been replaced by Tate Britain, an art gallery on the Thames. A single circular bollard marks the location of the former prison for visitors exploring the historical site.
During construction, the marshy ground caused structural problems that required multiple architects and extensive repairs, raising costs significantly. This made it one of the most expensive building projects of its era.
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