In which London prison was Captain William Kidd held before his 1701 execution?

Captain William Kidd was held in Newgate Prison before his execution in 1701.

Kidd had originally been commissioned as a privateer to hunt pirates and enemy ships, but he was later accused of piracy and murder. After returning to the Atlantic world, he was arrested in New York in 1699 and sent to England for trial.

Kidd spent time in Newgate Prison while awaiting proceedings. The prison was London’s notorious medieval jail, located near the site now associated with the Old Bailey. His trials at the Old Bailey resulted in convictions, and he was hanged at Execution Dock in Wapping on May 23, 1701.

Newgate is sometimes confused with the Tower of London, another famous place of imprisonment. Kidd was confined at Newgate before his execution, while the Tower had housed many other high-profile prisoners.