Battlefields›Gordon Riots King's Bench Prison burned 1780
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Gordon Riots King's Bench Prison burned 1780

1780
Surrey, England
Era
modern
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Surrey, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Prison authorities/Government forces
Forces
prison staff. London Trained Bands inadequate to resist.
VS
Victor
Gordon rioters
Forces
Gordon rioter crowds
Outcome
King's Bench burned and prisoners freed. Guards overwhelmed. Military restoration of order followed. The burning of the King's Bench was one of eight prisons attacked during the riots.
The Battle

History & Significance

Gordon Riots crowds attacked and burned the King's Bench debtors prison in Southwark, releasing all prisoners. The attack was part of a coordinated assault on London prisons and symbols of Catholic toleration during six days of rioting in June 1780.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

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