Report - Armagh Gaol/Jail, Armagh NI - 7-8-08 -

[Pacie]

Wow, what an unexpected explore.

I had looked at this place on wednesday but was locked up tight. Driving past on thursday and happen to notice the door was open! Well I nearly crashed trying to get back to it.

This place is amazing, very moody! Only had an hour of free time but could easily spend all day here.

HISTORY:

"the gaol, which was constructed between 1780 and 1819 in two significant stages actually comprised three prisons – one for women, one for debtors and one for felons - as well as buildings like the block treadmill and engine house. Further extensions occurred in 1865 and the gaol remained a working place of incarceration until its closure in 1986." ref: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/restoration/2004/ni_armagh_gaol_01.shtml

Further history can be found here;
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1143984,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3917711.stm



PICTURES:

Basement

 

[Pacie]

Re: Armagh Gaol/Jail, Armagh NI - 7-8-08 - REPORT

Looking up where floor above should be!

Staircase down to spooky basement. Anyone who knows me will know i'm not good in complete darkness so I did not complete all areas down here.

Door into basement.

Fireplace in basement!

Small room in basement, what looks like a window is some kind of chute.

Very small room in basement, by this time I was well and truely spooked, time to go up again!

 

[Pacie]

Re: Armagh Gaol/Jail, Armagh NI - 7-8-08 - REPORT

Looking out to Kitchen block.

Nice vaulted ceilings.

Entrance to cell blocks.

Cell blocks and exercise yard.

Hmmm, where are the knives???

From kitchen to cell blocks

Door to Infirmary.

Must be nursing on radiators back to health.

I spy.

 

[Pacie]

Re: Armagh Gaol/Jail, Armagh NI - 7-8-08 - REPORT

To cell blocks.

A cell room.

Cell block kitchen.

Evidence of 'Dirty Protest' which was in support of hunger strikers.

 

[Pacie]

Re: Armagh Gaol/Jail, Armagh NI - 7-8-08 - REPORT

Sluice toilet!

A toy gun in a prison!!!

When the public execution order was passed, hangings had to be done within the prison walls, this was where the hanging gallery was!

Gate to basement below the actual cell blocks, ran out of time so did not get to go in.