prison/jail

Detached thirteen-bay two-storey over basement with attic stone former gaol, built c. 1850, now used by the Civil Defence. Rectangular-plan with square-plan full-height tower to north-west. Pitched slate roof (pyramidal to tower), clay ridge tiles, stone corbelled chimneystack and tooled limestone quoins and string course, tooled limestone verge coping, rooflights, moulded cast-iron gutters on limestone corbelled eaves course, circular cast-iron downpipes. Squared-and-snecked sandstone and limestone walling, tooled limestone string course. Segmental-headed window openings, block-and-start red brick jambs, brick lintels with chamfered soffits, granite sills, painted timber fixed frame windows, wrought-iron bars; six-over-six timber sliding sash window and round-headed window opening, three-over-six sliding sash window with fanlight to north elevation. Segmental-headed door opening to north, block-and-start brick jambs, brick lintel with chamfered soffit, painted timber vertically-sheeted door, overlight; seven concrete steps to door forming bridge over basement, painted stone walling to bridge, wrought-iron handrails. Part of former complex with buildings to west, east and south.

Hidden from the street by tall walls, this former gaol building is a valuable and interesting pierce of social history. Part of a complex of four buildings, its situation radiating with its twin to the south, from the axis of the east main building signifies the quality of its design. Retaining much original fabric, it stands as a memento of nineteenth-century penal building.