What is The Clink?
[[File:Clink Prison Museum, Soho Wharf, Clink Street, London, United Kingdom.JPG|thumb|Entrance to The Clink prison museum, with a blue plaque commemorating the original prison]] '''The Clink''' was a [[prison]] in [[Southwark]], [[London]]. It operated from the 12th century until 1780. The prison served the [[Liberty of the Clink]], a local [[Manor house|manor]] area owned by the [[Bishop of Winchester]]. As the Liberty owner, the Bishop kept all revenues from the Clink, and could put people in prison for failing to make their payments. The Clink prison was next to the Bishop's London-area residence of [[Winchester Palace]]. The Clink was perhaps the oldest men's prison and probably the oldest women's prison in England.<ref>[http://www.london-se1.co.uk/places/clink-prison-museum Clink Prison Museum]</ref> The name has become [[slang]] as a term for prison or a jail cell.<ref>[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/clink Free dictionary]</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Mills |first1=Anthony D. |title=Oxford Dictionary of London Placenames |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryoflond0000mill |date=2001 |publisher=[[OUP]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryoflond0000mill/page/50 50]|isbn=0-19-280106-6}}</ref> == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Prisons in England]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Southwark]] [[Category:12th-century buildings and structures]]