1794 – Debtors Prison, Green Street, Dublin

The former Debtors Prison on Green Street is adjacent to the current Courthouse and site of Newgate Gaol. It is a U-shape in plan with the two arms visable from the rear on Halston Street. The original idea of this prison was to prevent the abuses of “sponging houses”. These houses were originally taverns in which persons arrested for debt were detained by a bailiff for 24 hours in order to give the arrested ones friends an opportunity to settle the debt. They derived their name from the extortionate charges made for accomodation provided.