Why were there prisoners of war at Lancaster Castle?
— one of the stories behind Clouds Over Bowland
A War That Reached Britain’s Doorstep
When we think of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), our minds often turn to famous battles, grand strategy, and figures like Wellington and Napoleon. But civilians right across Britain came into contact with the first real prisoners of war.
Britain captured thousands of sailors and soldiers who were transported across the country and confined in prisons, hulks, and depots.
A new problem for the authorities
Before this, prisoners of war had been exchanged between sides. But Napoleon refused. He didn’t want to release enemy soldiers and sailors so they could fight him again. And he hoped to weaken the British economy with the burden of housing and feeding the prisoners they held (about 100,000 to Napoleon’s 5,000).
So, Britain had to find space. It did this in a number of ways:
giving enemy officers parole, in the hope Napoleon would treat British officers equally well (of which there were 4000 by 1814). They were given an allowance and were allowed to interact with society. (The archives of the Royal Museums of Greenwich mention enemy officers using lending libraries and holding concerts.) When the war ended, some men chose to stay behind with the families they had started.
off-shore prison hulks (moored, decommissioned ships, often with their masts removed)
purpose- built new prisons like Dartmoor specifically for prisoners of war
sending prisoners inland (away from the English Channel) to established prisons like Lancaster Castle
Prisoners at Lancaster Castle
Records show that Lancaster Castle held French prisoners of war during this period, alongside debtors and civilians awaiting trial. Conditions were basic and overcrowded, as the existing infrastructure struggled to accommodate the sudden influx alongside the rising numbers of debtors and criminals.
Unlike modern prisons, these spaces were not designed with long-term incarceration in mind. But the ‘Bloody Code’ was being challenged, and fewer offences now resulted in hanging. Judges were happier to convict, and more prisoners were awaiting transportation to places like Australia.
Lancaster Castle had functioned as a prison since at least the late 12th century. By the late 18th century, the prison was overcrowded and in poor condition. A major programme of rebuilding and modernisation continued throughout the Napoleonic Wars, but standards were still far from what we’d expect today.
Ventilation was poor, sanitation limited, and disease a constant threat. Debtors with some money were able to buy privileges, including eating at the jailer’s table. But the rest – dangerous convicts and prisoners’ children alike – were cooped up together in harsh conditions.
The prisoners of war were simply men caught up in a vast geopolitical struggle, far from home, often for years at a time.
Quakers and Prison Reform
The Napoleonic period coincided with a growing movement for prison reform in Britain. Among those deeply concerned with conditions in prisons were Quakers, who had a strong presence in Lancashire.
Quaker values – centred on equality and compassion – led many to question the treatment of prisoners, including prisoners of war. Visits, advocacy, and the slow push for reform began to change how society thought about incarceration.
Bringing the Past to Life in Clouds Over Bowland
These lesser-known threads of history help shape the world of Clouds Over Bowland.
Rosemary Sturge, the author, grew up in Lancashire’s Forest of Bowland. She was told the drystone walls around her were built by French prisoners of war.
The walls probably date further back than that, but it’s very likely the prisoners were used as free labour to repair them. Communities like Netherdale in her book would have responded in different ways – suspicion, curiosity, compassion, or quiet acts of kindness.
By weaving together the experiences of prisoners of war, the strength of Quaker communities, and the evolving ideas around prison reform, Clouds Over Bowland reflects a moment of quiet but profound change.
