Inveraray Jail

Over het museum

For many centuries Inveraray, the seat of the Duke of Argyll, was the main county town of Argyll. From the mid-eighteenth century the courts met in the Town House, with the county prison on the ground floor below, but conditions were poor and prisoners escaped so often that townspeople sometimes had to guard the building. Plans for a new courthouse and prison were drawn up in 1807 and adapted by the architect James Gillespie Graham. Work started in 1816, and the jail and courthouse opened in 1820.

The airing yards for exercise were added in 1843, and the New Prison, a model jail of its day with individual cells, a water closet on every floor and gas lighting, was completed in 1848. The jail closed on 30 August 1889, because small county jails had become too expensive to run, and the courts later moved away from Inveraray. The empty buildings slowly decayed until they were recognised as the finest nineteenth-century county courthouse and prison in Scotland.

After a major renovation by the Scottish Office, Inveraray Jail opened to the public in May 1989. Visitors now explore the courtroom, the old and new prisons and the airing yards with costumed characters and an audio guide, and can also take part in an escape room set in the jail.

Hoogtepunten

• Historic county courtroom set out as for a circuit court trial
• Old Prison of 1820 with narrow cells
• New Prison of 1848 with hammocks and wooden beds to try
• Airing yards rebuilt on their original foundations
• Free audio guide in six languages
• Escape room, The Debtors of 1850

Vaste collectie

• Jail and Courtroom Experience – A visit through the county courtroom, the old prison of 1820, the new prison of 1848 and the airing yards, with costumed characters and an audio guide.

Opgericht

1989

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Walk-in tickets are available, but booking in advance is recommended. Escape room tickets are sold separately and the price is shown on the online booking page. Dogs enter free.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: niet aanwezig
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Because of the historic buildings and many flights of stairs, access is difficult for visitors with limited mobility, and there is no lift. Wheelchair users are admitted free and can visit the ground-floor areas of the old and new prisons through the shop entrance. Pushchairs are not permitted; they are stored safely and baby carriers are lent free of charge. The courtroom has a hearing loop. There is an accessible toilet, a seat can be provided in the shop, and an extra-large-print leaflet is available. The escape room is on the second floor and is not fully accessible.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk: niet aanwezig
• Verschoonruimte

Visitors can try the thumbscrews, hammocks, wooden beds and the whipping table. Pushchairs are not allowed inside, but baby carriers are lent free of charge and folding seats are available. The escape room is for ages 8 and over.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The jail is at the top of Main Street, in Church Square. Inveraray is about 38 miles from Oban and 60 miles from Glasgow.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel
• Kluisjes

The gift shop sells souvenirs, books, toys, giftware and jewellery. Lockers are provided for belongings at the escape room. Public toilets with baby changing are in the former kitchen area.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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