Old Town Jail
Welcome to Stirling’s Old Town Jail - the city’s famous Victorian prison and a captivating visitor attraction at the heart of the city’s historic quarter.
Inside this amazing building, you will -
Meet the prison warden, the Victorian reformer, Stirling’s notorious hangman, and the convict determined to escape
see what it meant if you found yourself on the wrong side of the law in the 19th Century
Discover what life was like behind bars
Stirling Old Town Jail provides educational groups with a unique insight into life during the Victorian era - a period of immense change in Scotland’s towns and cities.
Stirling Old Town Jail can easily be linked with other attractions (including Argyll’s Lodging, Cowane’s Hospital, Stirling Castle, and The Church of the Holy Rude) and activities (including walking tours of the historic city) to provide an intriguing experience for groups at all levels.
A visit to the Jail provides groups with a unique insight into:
Life in Victorian Scotland - including living conditions and social reform
Stirling in the 19th Century
Crime and Punishment in Victorian Scotland - and the treatment of juvenile offenders
Engineering and Innovation in Victorian Scotland
Crime and Justice in Scotland today
In Jail
MEET JOCK RANKINE
Hangman and executioner, just like his father before him. An encounter with Jock was rarely a happy experience, as you're about to discover.
LISTEN TO THE REFORMERS
Such as William Brebner, who believed that prisoners should be kept in strict isolation. But by the 1850s, with over 100 prisoners in a jail built for 57, the crank had been installed, prisoners were being flogged and shackled, and a harsh regime was in place...
CHECK OUT THE CELLS
Just over 7 feet wide, and 13 feet long. Home to convicts such as Margaret Mitchell, three months pregnant when she was sentenced in 1850 for the theft of a watch, and destined to have her baby in jail.
HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED TODAY?
A glass escalator will take you to the top floor of the jail, where the changes which had been introduced into Scottish prisons can be traced in a special exhibition. Better... or worse? Perhaps the prison matron will tell you about some of the changes she has seen in her time...
The Changing Room
SUITS YOU!
When new inmates arrived in prison, their clothes would be removed, they would be washed and weighed, and then they would be issued with a uniform to wear until their release.
The clothes in the Changing Room give children visiting the jail today a chance to experience what it would be like to have to wear Victorian style costume.
VISITORS INFORMATION:
ADMISSION PRICES :
| Admission Prices |
| Adults |
£6.50 |
| Concessions (Seniors/Students) |
£5.00 |
| Child (Ages 5 to 16) |
£4.00 |
| Family Tickets(1 adult & up to 3 child) |
£14.50 |
| Family Tickets (2 adults & 2 child) |
£17.00 |
| Groups & Parties(Min. 10 visitors) |
10% Off |
| School Groups |
£3.50(*) |
(*) Available only with advance reservations. Not available at weekends or during July/August.
Address:
Stirling Old Town Jail
St. John Street
Stirling FK8 1EA