FOUR PRISONS -- NEWGATE, LUDGATE, WOOD STREET COMPTER, AND POULTRY COMPTER -- ARE CONSIDERED IN THIS DISSERTATION. PRISONS PLAYED AN INCIDENTAL ROLE IN THE ENGLISH PENAL SYSTEM UNTIL THE LATE 18TH CENTURY. THEY WERE SELDOM USED AS PLACES TO PUNISH OR REFORM OFFENDERS, BUT WERE USED PRIMARILY AS DETENTION CENTERS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOALS HELD LARGE NUMBERS OF DEBTORS IN CUSTODY. THE FOUR PRISONS HAD ALWAYS BEEN NOTORIOUS FOR THEIR RUINOUS CONDITION, SQUALOR, UNHEALTHINESS, TUMULT, AND CORRUPT MISMANAGEMENT. IN SEPTEMBER 1666, THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON DESTROYED THESE PRISONS, BUT THEY WERE SOON REBUILT ON THEIR OLD LOCATIONS WHERE THEY CONTINUED TO OPERATE IN A DEPLORABLE MANNER UNTIL THE LATE 18TH CENTURY. EACH OF THESE INSTITUTIONS IS DESCRIBED, AND THE ATTEMPTS OF THE CITY AUTHORITIES TO DEAL WITH THE VARIOUS ABUSES AND POOR PRISON MANAGEMENT IS DISCUSSED. THE DEMOLITION OF THE 18TH CENTURY GOALS OR PRISONS CAME ABOUT IN 1729 TO 1732 AFTER THE DISASTROUS KEEPERSHIP AT NEWGATE HEADED BY WILLIAM PITT. THE ALDERMAN THEN EXERTED STRICTER CONTROL OVER THE KEEPERS, AND ALL FACETS OF PRISON ADMINISTRATION IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY; STILL LITTLE WAS DONE TO IMPROVE THE PRISONERS' HEALTH AND WELFARE. THE STUDY OF THE LONDON PRISON SYSTEM IS SEGMENTED INTO DETAILED EXAMINATIONS OF THE PRISONERS, PRISON LIFE, THE KEEPERS, THE STAFF, THE PRISONERS' WELFARE, THE HEALTH CONDITIONS IN THE FACILITIES, SECURITY AND ESCAPE, AND THE CONDITIONS OF PRISONS AFTER 1732. APPENDIXES CONTAIN LISTS OF LONDON PRISON-KEEPERS FROM 1660-1800; THE FEES OF THE FOUR LONDON PRISONS; RULES AND ORDERS FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT OF LUDGATE, 1808; RULES AND ORDERS FOR THE GILTSPUR STREET COMPTER, 1792; AND RULES AND ORDERS MADE BY THE PRISONERS OF THE CHARITY WARDS IN THE POULTRY COMPTER, 1708-1709. FLOOR PLANS AND DRAWINGS OF THE FOUR PRISONS ARE INCLUDED, AND SOME STATISTICAL TABLES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)