Prison Grounds
Airing Yards
These yards were built in 1843 to provide a secure place where prisoners could be exercised individually in the open air.Men and women were escorted from their cells by a warder and locked up in a yard for an hour each day.
A bell, to be rung to alert the prison staff in case of escapes, is hung on the wall of the airing yards.
In wet weather prisoners were provided with capes. If conditions were particularly bad, men could be exercised in the gallery on the upper floor of the New Prison.
Prison Grounds
The prison had its own laundry and the washing was hung out within the Prison walls.
Did You Know?In 1820 the Old Prison was the principal Jail of Argyll and housed men, women and children, convicted and unconvicted prisoners as well as the insane in only 8 cells.