Inveraray Jail

Last updated

Inveraray Jail
Inveraray Jail (geograph 5958191).jpg
Inveraray Jail
LocationChurch Square, Inveraray
Coordinates 56°13′48″N5°04′20″W / 56.2299°N 5.0723°W / 56.2299; -5.0723
Built1820
Architect James Gillespie Graham and Robert Reid
Architectural style(s) Neoclassical style
Listed Building – Category A
Official nameFormer Inveraray Court House, Crown Point, Inveraray
Designated28 February 1966
Reference no.LB35030
Listed Building – Category B
Official nameOld Jail, Crown Point, Inveraray
Designated4 August 1966
Reference no.LB35034
Listed Building – Category C(S)
Official nameNew Jail, Crown Point, Inveraray
Designated4 August 1966
Reference no.LB35033
Argyll and Bute UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in Argyll and Bute

Inveraray Jail is a former prison and courthouse in Church Square, Inveraray, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It was built in 1820 and is a Category A listed building. The prison closed in 1889 but the building remained in use as a courthouse until the mid-twentieth century, in which time it was also used for some meetings of Argyll County Council. Since 1989 it has been a museum. [1]

Contents

History

The old court house on Front Street Tourist Information Centre, Inveraray - geograph.org.uk - 3172129 (cropped).jpg
The old court house on Front Street

The building was commissioned to replace the old town house on Front Street which dated from 1755 and which had been deemed too small. [2] The original plans for the new building had called for a courthouse and three prisons, one for males, one for females and one for debtors, but the scheme was deemed too expensive and was curtailed. [1]

The new courthouse was designed by James Gillespie Graham based on initial drawings by Robert Reid in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone and was completed in 1820. [1] The design of the courthouse involved a symmetrical main frontage of three bays facing onto Church Square. The central bay featured a doorway with a fanlight on the ground floor and a Venetian window on the first floor. The outer bays were fenestrated with round headed windows on the ground floor, sash windows on the first floor and small oblong windows at attic level. All the windows on the first floor had balustrades in front of them and were flanked by paired Tuscan order pilasters supporting an entablature, a cornice and a balustraded parapet. The building was bowed at the back. Internally, the principal room was the main courtroom at the rear of the building on the first floor with views across Loch Fyne. [1]

A two-storey prison block, the "old prison block", which was also designed by Graham, was built in coursed rubble to the northeast of the courthouse and was completed at the same time as the courthouse. [3] Following the implementation of the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1839, which brought about various changes including the separation of prisoners, a three-storey prison, the "new prison block", which was designed by Thomas Brown, was built in coursed rubble to the southwest of the courthouse and completed in 1845. [4]

The Prisons (Scotland) Act 1877 brought in further changes, including the transfer of the management of prisons from local authorities to the UK Government and the closure of smaller prisons in favour of larger ones. After the prisoners had been transferred to Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow, Inveraray Prison closed in 1889. [5]

The courthouse was also used for meetings of the Argyll Commissioners of Supply, which was the main administrative body for the county prior 1890. [6] Elected county councils were established in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, and the new council needed to identify a meeting place. [7] The County Council's first meeting was held at the courthouse at Inveraray on 22 May 1890, when over three hours were spent debating where the council should meet thereafter, with proposals put forward in favour of meeting in Lochgilphead, Inveraray, Oban, Dunoon, or even Glasgow (despite the latter being outside the county). It was decided to meet at Dunoon between May and September and at Oban for the rest of the year. [8] The council did subsequently hold meetings in more places than just those two towns, including occasionally meeting at the courthouse in Inverary, but it established its main offices at Lochgilphead. [9] [10]

By the mid-20th century the courthouse had become dilapidated and, in 1954, an order was made that there should be no more sheriff court hearings at Inveraray. Police and Justice of the Peace Court hearings continued for a while but, in 1962, Argyll County Council sold the courthouse. [11]

The courthouse complex at Inveraray was refurbished to a design by Ian Gordon Lindsay & Partners in 1965 and converted into a visitor attraction as "Inveraray Jail" in May 1989. [1] [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll and Bute</span> Council area of Scotland

Argyll and Bute is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod. The administrative centre for the council area is in Lochgilphead at Kilmory Castle, a 19th-century Gothic Revival building and estate. The current council leader is Councillor Jim Lynch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunoon</span> Town in Scotland

Dunoon is the main town on the Cowal Peninsula in the south of Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As well as forming part of the council area of Argyll and Bute, Dunoon also has its own community council. Dunoon was a burgh until 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lochgilphead</span> Town and administrative centre in Scotland

Lochgilphead is a town and former burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, with a population of around 2,300 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute Council. The village lies at the end of Loch Gilp and lies on the banks of the Crinan Canal. Lochgilphead sits on the A83, with Ardrishaig 2 miles (3 km) to the south and Inveraray 24 miles (39 km) to the north-east; Oban lies 37 miles (60 km) north on the A816.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll</span> Historic county and registration county of western Scotland

Argyll, sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. The county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975 and most of the area now forms part of the larger Argyll and Bute council area.

The Oban Times is a local, weekly newspaper, published in Oban, Argyll and Bute on a Thursday. It covers the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland, reporting on issues from the Mull of Kintyre to Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland, to the Inner and Outer Hebridean Islands with Argyll, and Lochaber as its heartlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mod Cup</span>

The Mod Cup, also known as the Aviemore Cup1995 - Royal National Mòd Programmes and fringe events > Royal National Mòd Programmes > [Mod / Mòd Naìseanta Rìoghail - An Comunn Gaidhealach - National Library of Scotland] is a trophy in the sport of shinty first competed for in 1969, traditionally played for by the two teams who are based closest to the host venue of the Royal National Mod. The current holders are Aberdour.(2022)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunoon Primary School</span> Building in Scotland

Dunoon Primary School is a school in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located in a Category B listed building dating from 1901.

Lochgilphead Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in the town of Lochgilphead, Argyll.

Inveraray Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in the town of Inveraray, Argyll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunoon Burgh Hall</span> Municipal Building in Dunoon, Scotland

Dunoon Burgh Hall is a municipal building in Argyll Street, Dunoon, Scotland. The structure, which is used as an events venue, is Category B listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll and Bute Hospital</span> Hospital in Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Argyll and Bute Hospital was a mental health facility in Lochgilphead, Scotland. The original building is a Grade C listed building. The hospital is managed by NHS Highland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Fraser (architect)</span> Scottish architect (1867–1922)

William FraserRIBA was a Scottish-born architect, prominent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who initially practised in Great Britain and then in Canada until his death in 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rothesay Town Hall and County Buildings</span> Municipal building in Rothesay, Scotland

Rothesay Town Hall and County Buildings is a former municipal building in Castle Street, Rothesay, Scotland. The structure, which was the meeting place of Rothesay Burgh Council and of Bute County Council, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cove Burgh Hall</span> Municipal building in Cove, Scotland

Cove Burgh Hall is a municipal structure in Shore Road in Cove, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a community events venue, is a Category B listed building.

The Oban Football Club was a football team based in Oban, Scotland.

Oban Rangers Football Club was a football team based in Oban, Scotland.

The Argyllshire Cup was an association football cup competition for clubs in the county of Argyllshire, Scotland.

The 1st Argyll Rifle Volunteers F.C. was an association football club from Dunoon, Argyllshire, active in the 1890s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oban Municipal Buildings</span> Judicial building in Oban, Scotland

Oban Municipal Buildings is a municipal building on Albany Street in Oban in Scotland. The building, which is used by Argyll and Bute Council for the delivery of local services, is a Category B listed building.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Historic Environment Scotland. "Former Inveraray Court House, Crown Point, Inveraray (LB35030)" . Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Town House, West Front Street (LB35007)" . Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  3. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Old Jail, Crown Point, Inveraray (LB35034)" . Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  4. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "New Jail, Crown Point, Inveraray (LB35033)" . Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "Inveraray Prison". Argyllshire Herald. 20 July 1889. the prison of Inveraray will be closed on 31st August
  6. ↑ "Argyllshire Quarter Sessions". Oban Times. 27 October 1877. p. 4. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Shennan, Hay (1892). Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland: as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889. Edinburgh: William Green & Sons – via Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ "Argyllshire County Council". Oban Telegraph. 30 May 1890. p. 5. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  9. ↑ Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland. 1903. p. 172. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  10. ↑ Giarchi, George Giacinto (1980). "Between McAlpine and Polaris" (PDF). Glasgow University. p. 232. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  11. ↑ Fraser, Alexander (1977). The Royal Burgh of Inveraray. St Andrew Press. p. 85. ISBN   978-0715203545. In 1962, the Argyll County Council sold the Court House and it was decided next year that Quarter Session Meetings of County Justices of the Peace, formerly held in the Burgh of Inveraray, should take place in Lochgilphead.
  12. ↑ "Inveraray Jail". Secret Scotland. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.