Inveraray Jail and County Court

Have a family day out and visit one of the finest and best preserved Jail and Courtroom complexes in the world. You will step back in time to a 19th-century prison and discover what life was like for the men, women and children, some as young as seven, who were tried and locked up there. Start your journey finding out all about the many gruesome forms of punishment and deterrents that were used before the days of county courts and prison! You can even try out the actual thumbscrews used to inflict pain, if you are brave enough! After that, you can see the magnificently restored 1820 Courtroom where you can sit with the lifelike models and listen to extracts from some of the actual trials which were held in this room over 150 years ago. Then it’s time to visit the prisons! Go down the narrow corridors to see the cramped and overcrowded cells of the Old Prison. Listen out for the jangle of keys and the sound of heavy boots echoing in the corridor as the Prison Warder comes to lock you up! You can meet the prisoners and hear their stories about what life was like in jail. The New Prison which was built in 1848 is very different to the old one! Herr you can try out the hammocks and the wooden beds and hear stories about prisoners transported to Australia, or those who served time for trivial crimes such as stealing a turnip! Pick up your audio guide on arrival, which is free with admission tickets.