Church Prison?

Throughout her trial, Joan consistently insisted upon being transferred to a Church Prison where she would be cared for by women in place of her English captors. All very well and good, but I'm having trouble researching just what a 'Church Prison' is outside of oblique references in works on the Maid. Even google just links me to pages on Joan of Arc and her requests for transfer, which isn't really helping me out here.

The closest I could find was an article about Mother Marianna, but I'm not even certain that it's the same thing. Can anyone help me out here? Just what was a Church Prison, its functions, etc?

There were prisons specifically operated by various dioceses or religious orders, usually to house wayward nuns or monks. It would be like a cloistered monastery but with less freedom. I will try to find more specific information for you.

Elena wrote:There were prisons specifically operated by various dioceses or religious orders, usually to house wayward nuns or monks. It would be like a cloistered monastery but with less freedom. I will try to find more specific information for you.

Hmmm, I do hope that we still have those prisons.

N.