"I am lodged in a dungeon... black with grease and litter...shut up from the yard... either for my health or the necessary calls of nature...two small windows... gloomy light... season of the frost and snow... corner of the cell, stands a necessary-house... does not seem to have been emptied... a loathsome black-hole."

-- Archibald Campbell, Concord Gaol, 14th February 1777

Originally located near Jonathan Heywood's house (present Walden St. near center), the jail was moved in the Spring of 1770 using "rollers" (tree trunks) and 26 pair of oxen. It journeyed past the mill pond, around the corner (going west) near the old mill to the West Burying Ground area. The new site was on land purchased from Capt. Ephraim Jones (builder of the Wright Tavern) who kept a tavern on South Bridge Road. It was common practice to combine jails and taverns in order to feed the prisoners. Jones followed Heywood as jailer.

No list of prisoners exists until the events of 19 April 1775 when cells began to fill. By the 25th, captured British soldiers, including Sgt. Matthew Hayes and eight privates were "guests" in the gaol. They would be joined by such notorious Tories as Dr. Josiah Jones and Dr. Jonathan Hicks, both of whom would escape.

Perhaps the most noteworthy prisoner of this period was Lieut. Col. (later Sir) Archibald Campbell, Member of the British Parliament, of Inverneill, Scotland. Having helped raise the 71st Highland Regiment to fight in America, he sailed with the unit in the Spring of 1776. On 16 June, Campbell, in command of five ships and 400 men, entered Boston Harbor ignorant of the fact that the British force of Gage and his men had evacuated the port three months earlier. Following a short skirmish with the Americans, Campbell surrendered.

Initially, the Colonel was quartered in Reading with servants and staff and given freedom of movement. However, in December 1776, American Gen. Charles Lee was captured and word spread that he along with Ethan Allen and other patriot prisoners were being mistreated. Citizens called for revenge and Congress ordered British prisoners placed in "safe and close custody".

Campbell was transferred to the Concord jail on 1 February 1777, thus beginning a 15 month "visit" which would include numerous attempts at prisoner exchange, charges of mistreatment, a flurry of complaint letters to Generals Washington and Howe, and correspondence from the latter gentlemen to one another, Congress and the Boston Council. In a condescending 4 February note to Washington, Campbell referred to him as "dictator" and deplored "treatment notoriously dishonorable and inhumane in the annals of warfare". Congress informed Washington that its resolves would not be changed but that it did not mean for Campbell to suffer.

A letter from Washington caused the Boston Council to inspect conditions at the Concord jail (this transpired in March) which led to Campbell being moved to a room in the jailer's tavern and given use of the yard and one servant. During this period, the Colonel and/or prisoner James Wilson did a sketch of the gaol (on display at Concord Free Public Library). While he acknowledged the changes (May 1777), Campbell complained of noise, insults and rowdy guests at the tavern and requested movement to a pleasanter, better provisioned, more liveable town.

In August 1777, while a prisoner exchange was discussed to free Campbell, he was allowed total parole of Concord town limits in return for his word not to escape. He visited shops and homes and was well cared for by the people, jailer and especially Dr. Minot's daughter Mrs. Merrick (whose patriot prisoner son Tilly would one day be helped by Campbell).

Orders finally came on 30 March 1778 for Campbell to be released for travel to New York City where on 6 May he was exchanged for Col. Ethan Allen. The British Colonel would later exact revenge for his confinement by defeating an American force at Briar Creek and capturing Savannah and Augusta, Georgia. Eventually he became a Lieut. General, served as Governor of Jamaica and India, was named a Knight of Bath, retired to London and died in 1791 at age 52. Later in life he would comment that by reason of the fortunes of war, it was impossible that he should enjoy his visit to Concord and regret that enforced residence was not made pleasanter or less irksome.

As for the jail, after the Revolution it would house patriot debtors, criminals and rebels of Shea's Rebellion. In 1788, a new stone facility would be built (behind the Middlesex Hotel) which for one day (23 July 1846) would house Henry David Thoreau. The old wooden structure served as a hatter's shop and a stable (1812) before its demise. However, for a small building of minimal importance, it had a most interesting and storied existence in Concord's history.