Jedburgh Castle Jail and Museum

Over het museum

Jedburgh Castle was fought over during the Wars of Scottish Independence and was demolished by the Scots in 1409. On the castle site, work began in 1820 on a reform prison built on the principles of the reformer John Howard. The jail was designed by Archibald Elliot, completed in 1823 and altered in 1847 by Thomas Brown, and it closed in 1868. It looks like a grand castle but inside it tells a story of prison life, and visitors can explore the original cell blocks and the stories of prisoners; the jail was once described as the most comfortable in Scotland.

The building was restored to its 1820s appearance in 1968 and opened to the public as Jedburgh Castle Jail and Museum. The jailer's house now holds Jedburgh's town museum, which follows the history of the Royal Burgh from ancient times to the present, with its local traditions and industries and notable people such as the mathematician Mary Somerville, the kaleidoscope inventor Sir David Brewster and the astronomer James Veitch.

The museum is run by the charity Live Borders for Scottish Borders Council. New for 2026 are a one-hour guided history tour of the male prison block, called UNLOCKED, and an escape room, UNSOLVED, based on the 1835 murder case of Malcolm Munro. The grounds offer views over Jedburgh and the Borders countryside.

Hoogtepunten

• Original Victorian cell blocks and stories of prisoners
• Jedburgh's town museum in the jailer's house
• UNLOCKED guided tour of the male prison block, also billed as the Hidden Cell Tour (from August 2026)
• UNSOLVED escape room based on the Malcolm Munro case
• Views over Jedburgh from the castle grounds

Vaste collectie

• Castle Jail – The original cell blocks of the 1820s reform prison, with stories of the people held there and of 19th-century prison life.
• Jedburgh town museum – Displays in the jailer's house on the history of the Royal Burgh, its traditions and industries, and notable local figures such as Mary Somerville and Sir David Brewster.

Opgericht

1100

Beheerder

Live Borders

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

De toegang is gratis.

Entry to the museum is free and donations are welcome. The UNLOCKED guided tour (60 minutes, recommended for ages 8 and over) and the UNSOLVED escape room are ticketed separately.

Toegankelijkheid

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

There is level access to the main entrance and an accessible toilet with baby changing on the ground floor. The upper floors of all the blocks can be reached by stairs only, so access to the museum is on the ground floor, where interactive displays show the upper-floor exhibits. Some blocks have small steps and some doorways are narrow. A hearing loop is available at the welcome desk, and assistance dogs are welcome. The car park at the rear has two disabled bays. The UNLOCKED tour goes through the unrefurbished male cell block with low lighting, narrow stairs and uneven floors and may be difficult for visitors with mobility needs.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk
• Verschoonruimte

Children can dress up, join hands-on activities and use a children's activity guide. Buggies are welcome and baby changing is in the accessible toilet on the ground floor.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel
• Wifi

Wi-Fi access is listed among the venue facilities. There is a gift shop on site.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

The jail is licensed for weddings and civil ceremonies.

Je bezoek plannen