My law field trip to a former prison at Lancaster Castle

Lancaster Castle: A journey through legal history beyond the lecture theatre

With 65 students onboard two coaches, we set off on our field trip to a former prison at Lancaster Castle.

The castle was originally founded following the Battle of Hastings in 1066, although its early history is unclear. It holds an impressive amount of legal history from medieval battles to modern-day court hearings, including the famous Pendle Witch trials in 1612 and the Birmingham Six in 1975.

Last working castle

The castle was first used as a prison in 1196, throughout time it held both male and female prisoners – during the First and Second World War, prisoners were sent to the front line. None of the prisoners returned to Lancaster prison, they had either fallen in battle or returned home as free citizens. Before the closure of the prison in 2011, it held Category C male prison inmates alongside an active crown court.

Tour of the grounds and buildings

At 11.30am myself and Law students from first, second and final year started the tour with the knowledgeable guide, Helen, and we set about discovering the castle’s extensive history.

We weaved our way through the castle’s winding corridors, prisons wings and courtrooms. You could feel the history in every room. We heard captivating stories from the past 1,000 years which gave both a fascinating and somewhat eerie insight into life within the castle walls.

After the tour we made our way to the prison museum and met with former prison officers, who gave a detailed account into the workings of the prison. I learnt more about how the police force developed over time, the shaping of Lancashire Constabulary and hearing about the notorious cases they have solved over the years.

This field trip was a unique opportunity, I doubt I would have ever visited the castle without LJMU. It gave me the chance to expand my knowledge on the administration of justice over the last millennium. Throughout the tour you could feel the history that each building held from important legal decisions in the courts, to where some spent their last moments. My favourite part of the tour was learning more about the journey from sentencing to the fate of the death sentence.

It was also a great opportunity to spend time with students from different years of study of the Law degree. To hear about their experiences so far. 

Lasting impressions

Lancaster Castle left an indelible mark on my legal education. It reminded me that the pursuit of justice is not just recent developments but the work of over 1,000 years. Although previously I have not been on any other field trips, it has encouraged me to take any opportunities that arise to further learn about the legal system and its evolution in a practical and engaging way.

How others felt about the trip

The trip to the castle gave all students an insight into the workings of the medieval court compared to the modern day and what it was like to be imprisoned within the castle.

I asked my fellow course mates what they thought of the tour, here’s what they had to say.

Alex, third-year LLB Law student, said: “I really enjoyed the trip to Lancaster as we had the opportunity to visit a city with a great history. I would say my favourite part was definitely the tour of the castle itself, which was both engaging and informative. I feel like the trip really added to my degree, as I got to see how the law has developed over hundreds of years first hand.”

Danniella, first-year LLB Law Student, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Lancaster particularly the castle, it gave the opportunity to develop my knowledge beyond lectures. It gave me a deeper understanding of the court system, criminal proceedings, and punishments which I can link back to my studies. My favourite part of the day was the prison museum which gave an insight into life as prisoner.”

-Poppy is a second-year student on the LLB Law degree.

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