Chapels · South Wales
Monmouth County Gaol
The County Gaol, situated in North Parade, Monmouth, Wales, was Monmouthshire's main prison when it was opened in 1790. It served as the county jail of Monmouthshire and criminals or those who fell fo
John Winder — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
- Paid entry
About
The County Gaol, situated in North Parade, Monmouth, Wales, was Monmouthshire's main prison when it was opened in 1790. It served as the county jail of Monmouthshire and criminals or those who fell foul of the authorities were hanged here until the 1850s and some 3,000 people viewed the last hanging. The jail covered an area of about an acre, with a chapel, infirmary, living quarters and a treadmill. It was closed in 1869. In 1884 most of the building was demolished, and today nothing remains but the gatehouse which is a Grade II listed building. Within the gatehouse, there exists "a representation in coloured glass of the complete original buildings". It is one of 24 buildings on the Monmouth Heritage Trail.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The County Gaol, situated in North Parade, Monmouth, Wales, was Monmouthshire's main prison when it was opened in 1790. It served as the county jail of Monmouthshire and criminals or those who fell foul of the authorities were hanged here until the 1850s and some 3,000 people viewed the last hanging. The jail covered an area of about an acre, with a chapel, infirmary, living quarters and a treadmill. It was closed in 1869. In 1884 most of the building was demolished, and today nothing remains but the gatehouse which is a Grade II listed building. Within the gatehouse, there exists "a representation in coloured glass of the complete original buildings". It is one of 24 buildings on the Monmouth Heritage Trail.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The gaol was designed by William Blackburn and constructed between 1788 and 1790. It was designed as a reformed gaol, following the principles of the first prison reformer John Howard. Generally, the prisoners' diet was poor in the extreme. Felons were allowed 1d of bread a day, but there was no allowance for debtors. John Howard, the penal reformer, noted that many debtors survived on 'water soup' – soup which consisted of bread boiled in water. The longer a prisoner spent in the gaol, the more food they were allowed, receiving such extras as an additional pint of oatmeal gruel for breakfast, 4ozs of cooked meat and 12ozs of potatoes twice a week and a pint of broth twice a week. This…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.8170, -2.7136
- Established
- 1790
- Official site
- www.monmouth-savoy.co.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: Monmouth County Gaol (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Monmouth County Gaol?
- Monmouth County Gaol is in South Wales, in the United Kingdom — coordinates 51.8170°, -2.7136°.
- When was Monmouth County Gaol built?
- Monmouth County Gaol dates to 1790.
- Is there an entry fee for Monmouth County Gaol?
- Yes — Monmouth County Gaol charges admission. Check the official site for current prices.