The Dark Walk
Step into history and unlock the secrets of Cornwall’s past
The ‘Dark Walk’, the first of its kind in Cornwall, uses theatrical effects and the latest technology to transport visitors back to Cornwall’s murky past, enabling a first-hand experience of the penal life of a working 18th and 19th-century prison on the fringes of the windswept Bodmin Moor.
Retold for 21st-century audiences, the haunting cinematic visual experience will tell stories of smuggling, mining and the everyday hardships facing Cornwall’s poorest, including tales from infamous prisoners.
The Naval Wing
Grimy cells, harsh punishments and gruelling conditions
Visitors face a cold walk along into the jail's original Naval Wing, getting a first-hand look at what the dreary days and nights behind bars were really like. Grimy cells, prison punishments and stories of child criminals take centre stage as visitors wander through these formidable buildings.
The Administration Block
Delve deeper into the mechanics of running a hard Victorian prison
The journey continues through to the Administration Block and the Governor's Office, where visitors can delve into the fascinating background of the people who served, worked and lived at Bodmin Jail, with hidden stories and myths of Cornwall, Bodmin and the historic jail building from an operational perspective.
The Last Moments
Discover the only working execution pit in the UK
There's a chill of the condemned as the path follows the last footsteps of the 55 prisoners as they were led to the hanging pit.
The last moments seeing the only original, fully working Victorian Hanging Pit in the UK is a time for real reflection.