Wicklow Gaol

Prison in Wicklow, Ireland

Wicklow Gaol

Priosúin Chill Mhantáin

Wicklow Gaol in 2025

Location in Ireland

Alternative names| The Gates of Hell
General information
Type| Prison
Architectural style| Victorian prison
Address| Kilmantin Hill, Wicklow, Ireland
Coordinates| 52°58′44″N 6°02′14″W﻿ / ﻿52.978835°N 6.037132°W﻿ / 52.978835; -6.037132
Construction started| 1702
Completed| 1843
Renovated| 1995
Demolished| 1954 (partial)
Technical details
Material| slate, granite, red brick, timber, cast iron, concrete
Floor count| 3
Design and construction
Architect(s)| William Vitruvius Morrison
Interior

Wicklow Gaol is a former prison, now a museum, located in the town of Wicklow, County Wicklow, Ireland

## History

[edit]

### Prison

[edit]

There has been a prison on the site since the late eighteenth century. Prisoners were held at Wicklow Gaol during the 1798 Rebellion and the Great Famine, as well as many held there prior to penal transportation.[1]

The prison was extended in 1822 to a design by William Vitruvius Morrison, and further extended 1842-3.[2]

The prison in 1877 was demoted to the status of ‘bridewell’, a prison for petty offenders awaiting trial, and closed down by 1900, but reopened in 1918 to hold republican prisoners during the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War (the most famous of them was Erskine Childers); the last prisoners left in 1924.[3][4]

### Museum

[edit]

In 1995 renovations began, and it reopened as a museum in 1998, claiming to be one of the world's most haunted buildings, due to the long history of suffering associated with it. The prison was featured on a 2009 episode of Ghost Hunters International.[5][6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Wicklow gaol listed among the top 10 most haunted places in the world – WicklowNews".
2. ^ 1820-1843: Building Expansion
3. ^ 1916-1923: The Independence Era
4. ^ 1928-2014-closure-renovation/ 1928-2014: Closure and Renovation
5. ^ "'Haunted' Wicklow jail to feature on TV show". The Independent. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
6. ^ "Wicklow's Gaol". IMDB. Retrieved 2 November 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Official site

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

* v
* t
* e

Museums and galleries in the Republic of Ireland by province

Connacht|

* 126 Artist-run Gallery
* Arigna Mining Experience
* Battle of Aughrim Visitor Centre
* Castlerea Railway Museum
* Cavan and Leitrim Railway
* Connemara Heritage and History Centre
* Custom House Studios and Gallery
* Clew Bay Heritage Centre
* Galway City Museum
* Glengowla Mines
* Hamilton Gallery
* James Mitchell Geology Museum
* The Model, Sligo
* National Famine Museum & Strokestown Park
* National Museum of Ireland – Country Life
* Roscommon County Museum
* Sligo County Museum

Munster|

* Allihies Copper Mine Museum
* Clare Museum
* Cobh Heritage Centre
* Cobh Museum
* Cork Butter Museum
* Cork Public Museum
* Craggaunowen
* Crawford Art Gallery
* Garda College Museum and Visitor Centre
* Hunt Museum
* Jameson Experience, Midleton
* Kerry County Museum
* Lewis Glucksman Gallery
* Limerick City Museum
* Ormston House
* The People's Museum of Limerick
* Tipperary Museum of Hidden History
* Waterford County Museum
* Waterford Treasures

Leinster|

| Dublin|

* 14 Henrietta Street
* Casino Model Railway Museum
* Chester Beatty Library
* Commissioners of Irish Lights Museum (Baily Lighthouse)
* The Custom House
* Douglas Hyde Gallery
* Dublin Castle
* Dublin Fire Brigade Museum
* Dublinia
* Dublin Writers Museum
* EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
* Garda Museum
* Glasnevin Cemetery
* GPO Museum
* Guinness Storehouse
* Hugh Lane Gallery
* Irish Jewish Museum
* Irish Museum of Modern Art
* The Museum Flat (Iveagh Trust)
* James Joyce Centre
* James Joyce Tower and Museum
* Jameson Distillery Bow St.
* Kerlin Gallery
* Kilmainham Gaol
* Little Museum of Dublin
* Marsh's Library
* Museum of Literature Ireland
* National Gallery of Ireland
* National Leprechaun Museum
* National Library of Ireland
* National Maritime Museum of Ireland
* National Museum of Ireland (Archaeology · Decorative Arts and History · Natural History)
* National Photographic Archive
* National Print Museum
* National Transport Museum of Ireland
* National Wax Museum Plus
* Number Twenty Nine: Georgian House Museum
* Olivier Cornet Gallery
* Oriel Gallery
* Pallas Projects/Studios
* Pearse Museum
* PhotoIreland
* Project Arts Centre
* Revenue Museum (Dublin Castle)
* Richmond Barracks
* Royal Hibernian Academy
* Science Gallery
* Taylor Galleries
* Temple Bar Gallery and Studios
* Trinity College Dublin Zoological Museum
* Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio

|

* Arklow Maritime Museum
* Avondale House
* Ballyknockan Quarries Heritage Museum
* Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre
* Brú na Bóinne
* Carlow County Museum
* County Carlow Military Museum
* County Museum Dundalk
* Curragh Military Museum
* Dunamaise Arts Centre
* Dwyer–McAllister Cottage
* Enniscorthy Castle
* Highlanes Gallery
* Horse Museum (Irish National Stud)
* Irish Agricultural Museum
* Irish National Heritage Park
* Luan Gallery
* Museum of Style Icons
* National 1798 Rebellion Centre
* National Science Museum at Maynooth
* Russborough House
* The Steam Museum
* Wicklow Gaol

Ulster|

* Cavan County Museum
* Donegal County Museum
* Donegal Railway Heritage Centre
* Monaghan County Museum
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template