Inveraray Jail, Inveraray
Inveraray Jail is notorious for being one of Scotland’s most haunted locations. Its weathered granite exterior belies the monstrosities that occurred both in its court room and its two prison buildings. It is nothing short of a paranormal investigators paradise. Three separate buildings, each with a vastly different feeling allow for uncontaminated investigation, and the sympathetic care of the location means that little has changed across the centuries; once your cross the threshold you are only a breath away from believing that you are one of the unfortunate prisoners.
History
In terms of haunted buildings, Inveraray Jail is relatively new. It was designed in 1813 by James Gillespie Graham and in 1820 the courthouse building and first prison building were opened. It had originally been planned that the jail would actually consist of 3 separate prisons to ensure the separation of men, women and debtors, however the land that was acquired for the jail and the finances available at the time meant that this was not possible. A second prison building was opened on the same site in 1848.
The prison buildings are typical of jails of this period. The walls are made of massive rough hewn red stone and are approximately 3 foot thick. This was necessary due to the proximity of the buildings to the banks of Loch Fyne and the rough and changeable whether the Loch brings to the town. Should a prisoner have been fortunate to escape from the prison, one would ask where could he go? The Loch, while a stunning tourist attraction would have been a hostile friend to an escapee. It would have been a bleak outlook indeed. The prison building were eventually closed on 31th August 1889
The courthouse was of grand design. Its most prominent feature is the beautiful oval windows which the judge faced showing the prison buildings and beyond, the magnificent scenery of Loch Fyne. Over 6000 people were tried in the courtroom by many judges the last trial having taken place in 1954.
Paranormal Activity
There have been numerous reports of paranormal activity at Inveraray Jail. These include:
* the presence of an aggressive guard in the exercise room of the prison building.
* several orbs seen by the naked eye in the courtroom, along with the sounds of doors slamming in the distance, possibly coming from the prison buildings.
* the sound of tapping on metal bars.
*great feelings of sadness when entering the old prison building.
* unexplained temperature fluctuations
Location InformationInveraray Jail
Argyll
Scotland
PA32 8TX
