📌 Stirling
★★★
On the climb up to Stirling Castle from Stirling city centre, set aside an hour or two to explore Stirling Old Town Jail. The building was constructed in 1847 as a replacement for the city Tolbooth; it closed in 1936 and became derelict, but a 1990s renovation allowed parts of the prison to open as a tourist attraction while other parts were converted to offices. Most tours start with an entertaining live actor-led section, followed by ample time to look around some of the old cells. Next, a lift brings you up to a rooftop viewpoint and the old exercise yard, accompanied by a small exhibition about wider city history. Other areas of the jail aren’t officially part of the tour but can be viewed from the lift – including the “panopticon”, used to view all the cells from a single watch room. Fancy something more? You can also book escape room experiences – a fitting use for a former jail!
🌍 Location
📌 St John Street, 10-min walk northwest of Stirling city centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 792936
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.119922,-3.944071
🚌 St John Street – or more services to city centre | 🚆 Stirling
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
⌚ Daily
🎫 £14 adult / £8 child – possible discount for self guided tours
