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CASTLE MUSEUM

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Former debtors' prison, now a museum. Built as the County Gaol in 1701-05 and altered and extended between 1824 and 1835. The building was converted into a museum circa 1950 and restored in 1966. It stands south of Clifford's Tower, in the former bailey. The building is three storeyed, with a central range and clock turret flanked by projecting wings.

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1.
5343 CASTLE PRECINCT

The Debtors' Prison
(The Castle Museum)
(formerly listed as The Old Prison)

SE 6051 SE 22/113 14.6.54

I GV

2.

1705. Attributed to William Wakefield. Ashlar; 2 main storeys and a heavily rusticated semi-basement. Consists of a central portion surmounted by a clock turret and octagonal cupola, flanked by 2 considerably projecting wings with segmental pediments. On the 2 upper floors of the wings, giant pilasters alternate with the windows and support an eaves cornice. In the central block, the round headed central window, together with the one below, are contained in a rusticated architrave and flanked by coupled giant pilasters which are heavily rusticated. The altered interior now houses part of the Castle Museum. (5)

Former debtors' prison, now a museum. Built as the County Gaol in 1701-05, possibly by William Wakefield, and altered and extended between 1824 and 1835. The building was converted into a museum circa 1950 and restored in 1966. It stands south of Clifford's Tower, in the former bailey. The three storey building is constructed of brick and ashlar, with a central range and clock turret flanked by projecting wings. (2-4)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) General reference

Willis R. 1962. York Castle Museum The Living Past, Herald Printing Works

(2) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

District of York, 14th March 1997

(3) by Nikolaus Pevsner and David Neave 1995 Yorkshire : York and the East Riding

The Buildings of England Page(s)191

(4) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1972 An inventory of the historical monuments in the City of York. Volume II: the defences

Page(s)78-82

(5) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

City of York, June 1983 Page(s)43-44

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