Ruthin: Jail reopens two years after storm devastation

Ruthin jail stopped holding prisoners in 1916

Ruthin jail is to open for the first time since it was flooded during Storm Christoph more than two years ago.

The Denbighshire tourist attraction, which sits next to the River Clwyd, was among several businesses and homes hit by the flood in January 2021.

There was damage in the basement of the Grade II-listed Victorian lock-up, with many exhibits affected.

After months of work, the Pentonville-style prison will welcome back visitors.

This type of prison - like that in classic sitcom Porridge - were designed to keep inmates apart as the authorities believed this would help reform them.

• Ruthin named best place in Wales to live

• Plan for jail house weddings

Site manager Philippa Jones said water-damaged items sent to conservators would now be displayed on the museum's first floor.

Now a tourist attraction, it was flooded in 2021 during Storm Christoph

She added that it was "exciting" to be opening again after so long, but said the closure had given staff time to find out more about the prison.

Ms Jones said: "We've done more research into other aspects of life and stories from the jail as well, and have been able to think about how we want to do things differently in the future, so there have been positives from it."

Ms Jones said the shutdown had seen staff take advantage of space outside the jail by giving tours of the exterior.

After months of repair work, the jail will open again

Visitors to the prison, which also houses Denbighshire archive, will hear stories including that of John Jones, who was nicknamed Coch Bach y Bala, which translates as Little Redhead of Bala.

He escaped twice from the jail - in 1879 and again in 1913 - when inmates were confined to their cells 23 hours a day.

Now a new part of the jail's history will be told - the story of those prisoners held at Ruthin before being transported to Australia.

The staff say they are looking forward to seeing visitors again