Pay to see bare cells? At Inveraray Jail, it’s genuinely worth it. Visitors get an atmospheric tour packed with fascinating detail.
Inveraray Jail actually manages to strike a balance between tourist attraction and meaningful infotainment. It starts with a general explanation of the justice system of the time – cases, verdicts, torture… grim enough as it is.
From there, you head into the prison yard, where there’s a cage in which inmates took their daily exercise outdoors. Just as we were standing in front of it, an authoritative voice startled us from behind: “Can I help you, prisoners?” A warder approached and explained what the yard was all about – then promptly locked us in the cage for a few photos. Actors bring a certain atmosphere to the place, but they also answer questions and help you along. Well done indeed.
The prison itself consists of an old wing and a newer one. The tour first takes you into the older section, with the warder staying close by. In the cells, you can try lying in a typical hammock and learn more about how daily life was organised for both inmates and warders.
Throughout the cells, boards describe the individual fates of various prisoners. Model figures recreate typical scenes, bringing home the oppressive overcrowding of the cells.
Further on, in the courthouse, model figures sit in the rows, appearing to listen to court proceedings played out on tape at the front. You can take a seat on one of the wooden benches and listen in – though you’ll need to listen closely to follow the case.
The second wing was built because the first proved too small and not humane enough. Here there’s more space and more cells, and visitors learn about forced labour, both meaningful and pointless, and disciplinary measures, as well as medical care and hygiene.
Naturally, the tour ends in the gift shop…
Personal note: not a tourist trap
I was sceptical at first – it sounded a bit too much like a Highland tourist trap. But the details, the actors, and above all the individual stories of the prisoners made it well worth it. It certainly helped that we visited in the off-season, with hardly anyone else around that day.
Did you know: a model prison
Inveraray was the seat of the Duke of Argyll, which gave the town a central importance. So in 1829, the jail and courthouse opened here, and offenders from the whole surrounding area were brought here – including women and children.
Unfortunately, the jail soon became overcrowded, and the guards sometimes lost track of things, allowing many prisoners to escape. Conditions were also inhumane even by the standards of the time. So in 1848, a new wing was opened, complete with an outdoor exercise yard for prisoners. Inveraray Jail was considered a model prison in its day. By 1889, however, it had become obsolete thanks to larger prisons springing up elsewhere, for instance in Glasgow.
A hundred years later, in 1989, Inveraray Jail reopened as a museum.
Tips: a last-meal treat
Afterwards, head to “Brambles” for something to eat. It’s an atmospheric bistro serving tasty small dishes (I had the burger) and generous slices of cake. Walking from the jail along the main street towards the harbour, it’s on the left, about halfway there.
Getting there:
The A83 or the A819 both lead directly to Inveraray.
