Punishments and Prisons

There were many different types of criminal offences. There was grand felony (in the 17th century this included murder, robbery and theft if the value of goods stolen was more than one shilling). The punishment was the death penalty. Petty felony (less serious crimes) was punished by whipping, branding or a fine.

Prisons were mainly used for holding prisoners before trial or until they had paid their fines. The county gaol was at the foot of High East Street in Dorchester and then on Castle Hill. A treadmill was installed in the 1820s for hard labour. Many died in prisons. Wimborne had a lock-up, known as the ‘blind house’ because it was windowless. These cells were for holding those who misbehaved overnight.

Executions and public embarrassment were a social event, held in easy to get to parts of the town, often on market days. The pillory was one of the commonest punishments, which stood probably on Pillory Street, today part of West Borough in Wimborne. An offender stood and had their head and hands locked in this device, often for days. Crowds shouted and threw rotten vegetables. Wimborne’s stocks (criminals sat rather than stood) were located outside the doors of the George Inn in the Cornmarket and a second set were eventually at Dean’s Court.

The ducking stool was found overlooking the River Allen. Women who were accused of being scolds (gossips) were secured on a stool, which was fixed to the end of a pole. They were carried to a bridge and held under the water several times. It was believed to improve their temper.

Punishments for men and women were unequal. In the 1700s, a man murdering his wife was hanged but a woman murdering her husband was sentenced to be burned alive.

Executions were finally stopped in 1965, except for treason and violent piracy.