▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁but ▁was ▁also ▁used ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁Francis can ▁conf essor , ▁Father ▁Paul ▁At kin son . ▁Am id ▁concerns ▁over ▁the ▁moral ▁condition ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁a ▁perce ived ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁established ▁Church , ▁an ▁act ▁for ▁" fur ther ▁prevent ing ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁pop ery " ▁was ▁passed ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 0 ; ▁Hur st ▁was ▁chosen ▁by ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁to ▁house ▁any ▁pri ests ▁conv icted ▁under ▁this ▁law . ▁At kin son ▁was ▁probably ▁the ▁only ▁person ▁det ained ▁in ▁this ▁way , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁held ▁for ▁ 2 9 ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 7 0 0 ▁on wards , ▁before ▁finally ▁dying ▁at ▁the ▁castle . ▁ ▁There ▁had ▁been ▁reported ▁problems ▁with ▁sm ugg ling ▁around ▁Hur st ▁Castle ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 6 7 0 s , ▁and ▁these ▁continued ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century . ▁In ▁ 1 7 2 9 , ▁the ▁Re venue ▁service ▁h ired ▁the ▁Hur st , ▁a ▁wide , ▁heavy ▁y acht , ▁to ▁assist ▁in ▁anti - sm ugg ling ▁operations ▁out ▁of ▁South am pton , ▁ar ming ▁its ▁crew ▁with ▁mus k ets , ▁p ist ols ▁and ▁s words . ▁The ▁problems ▁pers isted ▁and , ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁century , ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁rende z vous ▁for ▁sm ug gl ers ▁led ▁by ▁a ▁not orious ▁criminal ▁called ▁John ▁Stre eter . ▁ ▁The