Ruthin Gaol celebrates its birthday and seasonal launch

On Saturday, 5 April, Ruthin Gaol, one of North Wales most popular heritage attractions will be hosting a celebration event to mark the start of the 2025 season, and a rather impressive anniversary that is being hailed as 250 years of Ruthin Gaol!

Although a ‘house of correction’ had stood on the site since much earlier, it was in 1775 that the oldest remaining part of the Gaol was built. Designed and executed by renowned local architect Joseph Turner, its construction marked a new era in the prison’s history. In later years, additional buildings were added to the site including the iconic Pentonville style wing with its atmospheric basement cells, and despite closing as a prison in 1916, development continues today.

Ruthin Gaol has received funding from UK Government that will see Joseph Turner’s original building become a new visitor welcome centre with café and exhibition space to display County treasures, thus protecting Ruthin’s unique heritage.

Councillor Emrys Wynne, Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage said: “We hope that everyone will be able to join us in celebrating Ruthin Gaol’s birthday and the start of the 2025 season. The building has such a colourful past, and visiting will give you a unique insight into its rich history. We are so lucky to have this historic landmark in Denbighshire and Ruthin Gaol staff will be there to welcome its visitors when it opens in April. We look forward to seeing you at the birthday celebrations on Saturday, 5 April – dewch yn llu”

Philippa Jones, Heritage Site Operations and Development Manager at Ruthin Gaol said: “We’re very excited for the forthcoming development to the front building which will allow us to enhance our visitor experience and provide new ways for the local community to access their local heritage. Equally, we are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors this year and hope the local community will join us on Saturday, 5 April to mark the start of the season and celebrate 250 years of Ruthin Gaol.”

Ruthin Gaol reopens on Wednesday, 2 April, with the Birthday Celebration event taking place on Saturday, 5 April. The local community is invited to attend the official Unlocking of the Gaol ceremony at 11:00am and enjoy free family fun and games which will be available throughout the day in the front Courtyard (normal admission fees apply for entry to the Gaol itself).

In this milestone year, visitors can explore the Gaol’s history through new and updated exhibitions and activities, including interactive puzzles for younger visitors and a retelling of the Gaol’s wartime story as a munitions factory, and the Munitionettes who worked there.

Construction work will be taking place throughout the 2025 season but will not affect the unique Victorian prison experience to be had at the historic attraction which received a TripAdvisor ‘Traveller’s Choice’ in 2024.