The New Gaol

The New Gaol (Jail) was commenced in 1836 but was not completed until 1847. It was built with the aim of reform by isolation, and contained a central pentagonal building of 84 cells, two lockup rooms ten turnkey's rooms and ten yards. Each cell had stone walls and floors and a timber ceiling; was 6ft long, 5ft wide, almost 11ft high, and was occupied by up to 3 prisoners. The complex also contained another 40-cell block, two service buildings, 12 solitary confinement "apartments" about which the Royal Engineer wrote "...the convicts regard the...new cells with dread...they are the most perfect specimens of prison construction I have seen...", and two "dumb cells" which prevented the transmission of light and sound - sending their occupants insane.