George Fox in Lancaster Prison (1660)
Fox continued to have meetings all over the country. In 1660 he was back at Swarthmore Hall but by this time Judge Fell had died and with him his protection. He was arrested and kept a close prisoner in the ‘Dark House’ in Lancaster Castle. He was charged with ‘endeavouring to raise insurrections in that part of the country, and to embroil the whole nation in blood.’ While in prison he regularly preached to people through the cell bars. Margaret Fell went to London to petition Charles II who had recently been restored to the throne on the death of Cromwell and the King said he would hear the case in London. Fox was released and told to go to London to be tried. He had no guard and preached many times on the way to London where he went to Westminster Hall to be tried at King’s Bench. He was found innocent and released after being a prisoner for 20 weeks.
Additional Information
The prison is very different from Fox's time as much has built up around it, but where he was imprisoned still exists behind the buildings in the photo. Unfortunately, as Lancaster Castle is still an active prison, no photos are allowed to be taken by law.