Newgate prison was built in 1188, and for 700 years it was a place of dread. Criminals were sent there, but also people following the wrong religion or political philosophy, and even people who couldn't afford to pay their debts. Life on the street in the Middle Ages was pretty tough, but inside Newgate it was much worse. There was overcrowding, little food, and no beds, but supervision was minimal, so life inside Newgate could only be described as chaos. The worst part of the facility was an unlit dungeon underneath the prison, where prisoners condemned to death were kept until their execution. It was no wonder that some convicts prayed to be sent to Australia rather then to Newgate. While conditions changed somewhat over the centuries, Newgate was always the worst prison in London. It was rebuilt twice after being burned. It was finally closed in 1903, and demolished a year later. -via Digg