George Fox in Lancaster Prison (1664-1665)
1663 again found Fox at Swarthmore Hall and again his enemies plotted his downfall. He was arrested and examined but they could not find any legal way of putting him in prison so they told him to take the oath of allegiance and supremacy, knowing that he could not do this because of his faith and they imprisoned him in Lancaster Jail. He had been in prison for nine months when he was moved to an old tower in the prison where he could not keep his bed linen from getting damp and whenever fires were lit below his room filled with smoke and he nearly suffocated. He was there the whole winter and his body, being subjected to so much cold and wet, became swollen and numb. Even though the judges acknowledged that the indictment against him was full of errors, they still kept Fox in prison.
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.