Ruthin Gaol Museum - Amgueddfa Carchar Rhuthun — Attraction in Ruthin

Brilliant place. I had learnt about crime and punishment in the 1800's in history so this really interested me and I was not let down. Visiting this place gave me a greater understanding of what I had learnt in the past. We were able to walk around at our own pace and take our time reading the information there. You are even able to dress in the uniforms and really play a part of a prisoner of the old days. They have got the old bath there and you can even sit inside and take your picture. I wouldn't say this was a place for young kids maybe 5 upwards if you explain things to them and let them play a part of prisoners they would find that fun. There are things there that will enable you to do this. The buildings are lovely to say it was built as a prison. I thought the gift shop was lacking in things to buy. I think they should sell more things about the prison like pens, fridge magnets and more books. The tea towels are great though. This is definitely a place to visit. The village is lovely too to walk around and there's a wetherspoons 5 minute walk from prison that's cheap. Oh and there's a lovely antique shop before the pub which is lovely. She had some great things at the right prices. The whole experience there was great and a must on...

I wanted to go to the Archives and needed to park close by because I am disabled.I drove in and parked in a large parking area next to the entrance to the gaol where there was a solitary builder’s lorry. A lady appeared and told me politely I was not allowed to park there so I moved my car round the corner close to the Archives entrance.When I had done that the same lady reappeared telling me I was now blocking the entrance to the site and I should go out into the main road and back in via another entrance and park in one of the designated disabled parking spaces,which I did.The gate from there back to the goal and archives was blocked because of the builders’ work so I had to walk (with difficulty) back to the archives where there was a mobile No Parking sign which the builders had reversed when I first arrived. I don’t want an apology or the lady being admonished by her employer. There was no malice in her actions and she was enforcing the rules as she saw it and she might have been frightened of litigation in the event of my little Skoda somehow killing innocent visitors. I am telling this tale because it illustrates one of British society’s big problems viz the reluctance of decent people to apply common sense “Just...

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A very pleasant surprise for all the extended family when we visited here.

A family with ages ranging from 4 to 72, we had a most pleasant visit to this old jail.

For the young ones, there was a Teddy Bear Hunt to carry out, jigsaws to do, books, painting, and models with cut-out faces to make a photo opportunity.

For the older ones, there was excellent information all round the jail, with interesting displays and everything very well explained. I dislike any exhibition where you don't get told what is what, but never had this problem here.

There were cells set out as they would have been in times past, a big old bathroom (with a concrete bath!), a coffin, schoolroom, condemned cell, loads and loads of prisoner records to browse (your great-great-grandfather was here?), models dressed as prisoners, details of their daily routine, their diet.

Fascinating!

The staff at Reception were unfailingly kind and helpful - another big...