Being a prisoner was no joke then and even now. Cruel and inhumane methods were rampant then, torturing those who were accused of criminal behaviour. Opened in 1882, the Prison Gate Museum showcases the largest collection of instruments and methods many were cruelly subjected to previously.

Holding prisoners captive for 400 years, the museum has seen and heard it all. Start off with the “Torture Chamber”, where suspects were subject to torture as a method to force out a confession. Branding someone with the use of a heated branding iron was often used, intended as a corrective measure. Not forgetting, the infamous death penalty through the use of the guillotine is also showcased here! An absolutely gruesome punishment performed in front of the public, they were often done so to bring embarrassment, and eventually death. Adding to the gruesome nature of such punishments, there were also public executions where individuals were sentenced to burn at the stake! Many were subject to the cruellest kinds of corporal and capital punishments, with their social status playing a significant role. The rich and powerful were often sent to more “luxurious” cells, even being able to order meals! Unfortunately for the poor, they were whisked off to dingy, shared cells, subjected to far worse punishments than their well-off counterparts. Squirm if you’d like, this is the place to be, brimming with the intriguing, yet absolutely tragic stories of the imprisoned and their tragic lives.