Step through the doors of inveraray jail and step back in time to a 19th-century prison. experience what life was like for the real men, women and children some as young as seven who were tried and locked up here. explore the atmospheric historic buildings at your leisure and meet the costumed characters who animate the past in this unique living museum.
For many centuries, Inveraray, the seat of the Duke of Argyll, was the principal county town of Argyll. From the mid-18th century the courts met in the Town House on Front Street, and the ground floor below the courtroom served as the county prison. Conditions were terrible for the prisoners, who walked in a grated piazza in front of their Cells, just in line of the principal street, and exposing the miserable appearance of their apartments and furniture to shock the feelings of every passer bye. There were so many escapes from this building that at times the townspeople had to take turns in guarding it! Judges threatened to move the courts from Inveraray unless new premises were found.
New Courthouse and Prison
Well-known Edinburgh architect Robert Reid drew up plans for a new Courthouse and Prison in 1807, which included separate prison blocks for men, women and debtors. But this has to be shelved due to lack of funds.
Reids proposals were, however, later adapted by the architect James Gillespie Graham. He simplified the design of the Courthouse and reduced the prison accommodation to one eight cell block. Work started on the new buildings in 1816 and was completed in 1820.
The Jail and Courthouse opened in 1820 and remained unchanged until 1843 when the Airing Yards were built. These provided a secure place where prisoners could be exercised in the open air.
In 1848 the New Prison was completed. This was a model prison for its day with 12 individual cells, a water closet on every floor, accommodation for warders, a store room and indoor exercise gallery. It was also well heated and lit by gas, a far cry from the dark and damp original prison building.