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Ruthin Gaol (prison)...

The Ruthin Gaol was built in 1775 as a model prison of that period to serve the old county of Denbighshire

It was designed by J. Turner of Chester. The large Victorian block at the rear was built in 1866 on the model of Pentonville Prison in London, and it looks more like a typical prison.

The last execution here took place in 1903 and it closed as a prison in 1916. During the Second World War it housed a significant munitions factory, and it has recently been redeveloped to restore it as a visitor attraction and as a home for the County Archives at a cost of over £1 million.

The Welsh Houdini

Extract from Ruthin Gaol Guide book: "Healthy or not, John Jones, known as Coch Bach y Bala (the little redhead from Bala) was not keen to stay long. Jones was a kleptomaniac and poacher who served terms in every gaol in North Wales and several in England; it was said that he spent more of his life in prison than out.

Such was his reputation for escaping from prison that he acquired the popular nickname, 'the Welsh Houdini'. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment at Bala on 1 June 1913 for burglary at Jordans solicitors office.

He was transferred on 30^th September and escaped from Ruthin during the night of 20th October (the second time he had cheated the gaolers at Ruthin during his career). This time he had made a hole in his cell wall and climbed out using his bedclothes made into a rope..."

The Last Execution

Extract from Ruthin Gaol Guide book:

"In 1903, Ruthin's last execution took place. William Hughes, a Wrexham miner originally from Denbigh, was found guilty of shooting his wife and was hanged at the prison at 8:00 a.m. on 17 February 1903."

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