32 C O N T E X T 1 5 0 : J U L Y 2 0 1 7 Although no schemes have yet been completed, planning applications for redevelopment have been granted for the prison sites at Canterbury, Dorchester, Kingston and SheptonMallet.The path to securing these consents has generally been complex and lengthy, often requiring an intensive process of consultation with the local planning authority, Historic England and other stakeholders. Apart from Canterbury, which will be used by the university, the predominant use for the other sites is private residential, combining apartments in the converted prison wings with blocks of new flats or houses elsewhere within the walls.A recurring issue is the density of new development required to ensure viability, and to offset the relatively high cost of converting prison wings. Following the disposals referred to above, the Ministry of Justice estate now retains 24 purpose-built, historic prisons in England and one in Wales, which are listed either in whole or in part.These sites range in date from the 1790s (Stafford) through to 1912 (Camp Hill).The core group of prisons, built between 1842 and 1878, were all influenced to a greater or lesser degree by the design of Pentonville, known as the ‘model prison’.They consisted of a number of wings arranged in a radial or cruciform plan, with small cells accessed from galleried landings.The gatehouse tends to be the most elaborate architectural element of these sites. Other buildings forming part of the original prison usually included a chapel and governor’s house. At almost every site later buildings have been added, such as kitchens, infirmaries, workshops, gymnasia and visitor reception facilities. Besides purpose-built prisons, the Ministry of Justice’s custodial estate contains a surprising variety of other heritage assets, ranging from former army sites (including two hill-top citadels at theVerne on the Isle of Portland and the Western Heights at Dover) and a number of country houses and rural estates, the finest example being Hewell Grange inWorcestershire. Eleven sites in the prison estate lie within a designated conservation area, either in whole or in part, and a further eight sites are adjacent to conservation areas. Recent excavations at the former prison sites at Gloucester and Reading have highlighted the archaeological potential of prisons.At Gloucester archaeological excavations have revealed remains of a substantial Norman keep, while Reading prison overlies the eastern end of the scheduled monument of Reading Abbey. Although the statutory system of listing began after the second world war, the first listing of a purpose-built prison building in custodial use was at Shrewsbury in 1969, followed by Lancaster Castle (then in use as a prison and court) in 1970. These listings usually occurred as a result of area-wide listing reviews, and Shepton Mallet, a courtyard prison of 1817–20 with later alterations (Grade II*). Plans have been approved for conversion of the listed building and a new building to provide 146 new homes, cafe and museum space. TheVictorian radialplan Kingston Prison, built in the 1870s, is listed Grade II. Plans have been approved to convert the listed structures into 73 dwellings and to replace non-listed structures with new residential blocks containing 157 dwellings.
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