Timeline of Millbank and Chelsea College of Arts 1799: Philosopher Jeremy Bentham acquired the swampy Pimlico site for his visionary 'Panopticon' prison. While his circular design was abandoned, a sprawling hexagonal fortress took its place. 1816: Despite structural challenges and ground instability, the penitentiary welcomed its first female captives in early summer. 1843: Millbank's role shifted to a transit hub for individuals sentenced to penal transportation in Australia after Pentonville became the primary national prison. 1853 – 1870: As transportations dwindled, the facility served as a local prison for women before housing military personnel. 1886: Inmate operations ended, and the keys were transferred to civil authorities. 1890: Plague and structural rot forced the permanent closure and subsequent teardown of the complex. Present Day Context Tate Britain: Founded in 1897 as the National Gallery of British Art, this world-class institution stands directly atop the former prison foundation. Millbank Estate: This pioneering social housing project was built at the turn of the century using brickwork recovered from the prison’s remains. Chelsea College of Arts: The contemporary art campus occupies the historic footprint of the former Royal Army Medical College. Traces of the past remain etched in the local geography, from the octagonal shape of the nearby streets to ancient stone bollards and subterranean cells preserved in local architecture.