York Cells

A visit to York Castle Museum was recently recommended to me, due to the £200,000 refurbishment that has been carried out on the York Cell's, and so I jumped at the chance.

As Museums go, it's actually pretty interesting - showing the change from Victorian life right up until today. Even the 1960s section is worth a look. But what about the actual reason I went... those cells. Let's put it this way... they were underground, dark, dingy, cold and spooky; and that was it. I suppose everything you'd expect a prison to be... if you were a criminal. As a visitor, I went expecting detailed information of the criminals who were kept there, and the conditions that they were kept in. However, the modern revamp meant that instead of written information, each cell contained a projection of an actor dressed as a criminal, moaning about being unrightfully locked up.

Well, as you'd expect I was less than impressed. Neither I, nor anyone else there could be bothered standing in each cell listening to the entire monologue of this person who was never actually imprisoned there. I'd heard that Dick Turpin had been kept there, and sure enough there 'he' was, in a cell, talking about how he shouldn't be there... Not exactly want I went to hear.

I'm surprised that this refurbishment cost £200,000, and I think a lot more could've been done with a lot less money. I paid £6.50 to see the whole Museum, which allows free admission for the rest of the year. The Museum itself was very good, but I can't say I'd walk through those less-than-average cells again even for free. In fact, you'd probably have to pay me. Or lock me up.