Newgate

You are standing near the site of what was once the most feared landmark in London. Newgate originated as one of the original gatehouses built by the Romans as part of their defensive wall more than two thousand years ago. By the twelfth century, the gatehouse began serving a secondary purpose as a prison, eventually becoming the city's primary site for holding debtors, felons, and state traitors. The name itself reflects its history, as it was considered the new gate of the city when it was rebuilt in the medieval era.