The Spinning House: How Cambridge University Locked Up Women in its Private Prison

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Caroline Biggs

The Spinning House

How Cambridge University Locked Up Women in its Private Prison

Caroline Biggs

$44.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Miscellaneous
01 March 2026

History: specific events & topics; Social & cultural history; Violence in society; Gender studies: women; Penology & punishment

The untold story of how Cambridge University locked up women in their prison - and how the town fought to free them, new in paperback.

Cambridge University is renowned worldwide for its academic prowess, but below the surface lurks a murky past. During the nineteenth century, the university became infamous for its dogged determination to cling to ancient laws allowing it to arrest and imprison unchaperoned women found walking the streets of Cambridge after dark.

Mistakes were made. Violence and legal action followed until finally an Act of Parliament put an end to the university's jurisdiction over the women of Cambridge.

AUTHOR: Caroline Biggs has lived all her life in Cambridge. She was an active Trustee of The Museum of Cambridge, where she founded a history festival to redress the massive imbalance between the historical knowledge about the 'town' as opposed to the 'gown'. She has a Diploma in Creative Writing from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Biography and Creative Non-Fiction from UEA. She has previously researched and written several booklets about the history of Cambridge.

12 b/w illustrations

By: Caroline Biggs
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: New edition
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781837051243
ISBN 10: 1837051240
Publication Date: 01 March 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

CAROLINE BIGGS has lived all her life in Cambridge. She was an active Trustee of The Museum of Cambridge, where she founded a history festival to redress the massive imbalance between the historical knowledge about the ‘town’ as opposed to the ‘gown’. She has a Diploma in Creative Writing from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Biography and Creative Non-Fiction from UEA. She has previously researched and written several booklets about the history of Cambridge.

Reviews for The Spinning House: How Cambridge University Locked Up Women in its Private Prison

A stunning story and an important work. Caroline has single-handed excavated this history of ordinary women detained in extraordinary circumstances by one of the country’s most respected universities. The Spinning House shows how easily freedom can be curtailed on the whim of powerful forces. -- Katy Massey * Author of 'Are We Home Yet?' * Biggs deftly blends historical research with creative retelling, bringing prison records to full and chilling life. * The New Statesman * Although this is a harrowing tale of double standards and misogyny, it is also an inspiring story. Biggs has written a powerful book that redeems the women and affords them the justice they deserved * The Lady * An elegant and enlightening study. -- Jane Robinson * Times Literary Supplement * Selected as one of The Oldie's best summer 2024 books on prisons -- Christopher Silvester * The Oldie * 'This is an extraordinary history of a little-known aspect of the history of Cambridge written with all the energy of someone from ‘town’ not ‘gown’. It tells of the Elizabethan charter that locked up women in Cambridge if they were suspected of distracting the male students - and tells a bigger story of the innate misogyny in England for three centuries when women were blamed for male indulgence and punished for imaginary crimes. The detailed work on the accused women brings them to life on the page making this book as interesting as history and as moving as a novel.' -- Philippa Gregory Featured in The Guardian/Observer 'Article in BBC News: Cambridge University: 'When to be poor, pretty and petulant was a crime'