The present prison buildings were built from 1869 on the site of an earlier gaol. Not depicted on historic OS mapping for security reasons, they are now County Council offices.
Facing Shire Hall Street is a lofty stone walled building in three bays in a particularly grim and forbidding Gothic, full of jagged edges. The main doorway is in the centre bay and the outer bays are slighly advanced, hinting at the flanking towers of a medieval fortress. Walls link this to gabled houses in the same grim and jagged Gothic. These are set at either end of the prison compound and act as pavilions to the central, entrance building. The northern house or pavilion, is Gwylfa (NPRN 26557).
The entrance building was linked by a short cross wing to the main, north-south, prison block. This retains something of its original arrangements and fittings, notably cells.
The last execution was in 1910.

Source: CADW Listed Buildings Database (26628)

John Wiles 17.05.07