Chapels Β· South Wales
Monmouth County Gaol
In or near Dixton.
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 β CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 minβ45 min
- Nearest railway station
- Rookwood Β· 7.8 km
- Paid entry
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Monmouth County Gaol, the nearest railway station is Rookwood, located 7.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is NP25 3PE, and please note that entry is paid.
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
See it from the streetimagery from 2024
Imagery Β© Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the official site
The Savoy Theatre in Monmouth is a historic grade 2 listed building and one of the oldest working theatres in Wales. It offers a diverse program that includes feature films, live performances, and special cinema events.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Wye SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Wye Valley
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
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' β 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. Thisβ¦
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.8170, -2.7136
- District
- Monmouthshire
- Parish
- Monmouth
- Postcode
- NP25 3PE
- Parliamentary constituency
- Monmouthshire
- Phone
- 01600 772467
- Established
- 1790
- Nearest railway station
- Rookwood β 7.8 km
- Official site
- www.monmouth-savoy.co.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: Monmouth County Gaol (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
North Parade House
Historic houses Β· 0.1 km
Inglis Bridge
Historic bridges Β· 0.2 km

Monnow Mill
Mills Β· 0.2 km
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Parade House, Monmouth
Historic houses Β· 0.2 km

Masonic Hall
Open-air theatres Β· 0.3 km

Monmouth Cemetery
Cemeteries Β· 0.3 km
Oak House
Historic houses Β· 0.4 km

Monmouth Priory
Abbeys & priories Β· 0.4 km

1 Monk Street
Gardens Β· 0.4 km

St Mary's Priory Church
Historic churches Β· 0.4 km

Rolls Hall, Monmouth
Historic houses Β· 0.4 km
St James House
Historic houses Β· 0.4 km
Nearby
Historic houses Β· South Wales
North Parade House
North Parade House β house in Monmouth, Wales.
Historic bridges Β· South Wales
Inglis Bridge
Inglis Bridge is a historic bridge in the United Kingdom.
π· 3Mills Β· South Wales
Monnow Mill
Monnow Mill β Grade II listed building in Monmouth. About 500m north of Monmouth Castle between the road and the river Monnow.
π· 3Historic houses Β· South Wales
Parade House, Monmouth
Parade House, Monmouth β Grade II listed building in Monmouth. On the principal road leading north from Monmouth centre set between Monk Street and Hereford Road.
Cemeteries Β· South Wales
Monmouth Cemetery
Monmouth Cemetery is a cemetery located at Osbaston Road, Monmouth, Wales. It was available for burials between 1852 and 2012.
Where to eat & stay near Monmouth County Gaol
Places to stay
Campsites Β· South Wales
Monnow Bridge Caravan Site
Monnow Bridge Caravan Site β a campsite in wales south.
Hotels Β· South Wales
The Riverside Hotel
The Riverside Hotel β a hotel in wales south.
Campsites Β· South Wales
Broadstone Park Camping and Fishery
Broadstone Park Camping and Fishery β a campsite in wales south.
Campsites Β· South Wales
Glen Trothy C. & C. Park
Glen Trothy C. & C. Park β a campsite in wales south.
π· 5Campsites Β· South Wales
Biblins Youth Campsite
Biblins Youth Campsite β a campsite in wales south.
Places to eat & drink
π· 5
π· 5Historic pubs Β· South Wales
The Punch House
The Punch House β Historic pub β listed building or notable heritage status.
Historic pubs Β· South Wales
Queens Head
Queens Head in Wales South, United Kingdom.
More places in this region
π· 3Chapels Β· South Wales
Bethania Welsh Baptist Chapel
Bethania Welsh Baptist Chapel β Baptist chapel in Maesteg.
Chapels Β· South Wales
Bethel, Gadlys
Bethel, Gadlys β church in Trecynon, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
π· 3Chapels Β· South Wales
Bethesda English Baptist Church
Bethesda English Baptist Church β Baptist chapel in Haverfordwest.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Monmouth County Gaol?
- Monmouth County Gaol is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode NP25 3PE), in the parish of Monmouth.
- What is 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
- How do I get to Monmouth County Gaol?
- The nearest railway station is Rookwood, about 7.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode NP25 3PE.
- When was Monmouth County Gaol built?
- Built or established in 1790.
- Is Monmouth County Gaol a protected site?
- Yes β Monmouth County Gaol is part of the River Wye SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Wye Valley National Landscape (AONB).
- How do I get to Monmouth County Gaol?
- The nearest railway station is Rookwood, about 7.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode NP25 3PE.