Prison gate, former governor's house and chaplain's house, HM Prison Aylesbury (Aylesbury Gaol)

This is a prison gate flanked by the former governor’s house (to the east) and the former chaplain’s house (to the west), part of HM Prison Aylesbury (also known as Aylesbury Gaol). The buildings date to 1845 and were designed by Charles James Pierce and Major J Jebb. They are constructed of red brick with stucco quoins and dressings, and have an E-shaped plan.

The central prison gate features a tall arch with a massive, rusticated doorway. The tympanum contains a portcullis motif. A prominent dentil cornice runs along the top, above a blocking course. A small wooden bell turret rises from the roof. Flanking the gate are two-storey wings, each with three sash windows. These wings have wide window surrounds and deep, stucco parapets. The projecting end blocks have two taller storeys with first-floor sill bands, each featuring three sash windows in wide surrounds and central doorways. Each of these has a frieze, modillion cornice, and blocking course above.

Aylesbury Gaol played a significant role in the women’s suffrage movement. During 1912, following mass demonstrations by the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), numerous suffragette prisoners were held at the gaol due to overcrowding at Holloway Prison. In March 1912, suffragettes carried out a mass window-smashing raid in London, leading to the temporary transfer of prisoners to Aylesbury. A secret hunger strike began on April 5th and subsequently spread to other prisons, involving over eighty prisoners and generating public protests, including a large demonstration on April 13th, during which prisoners waved handkerchiefs from their cell windows.