Visit to Bodmin Jail

Young farmers this week took us to Bodmin Jail where we had a guided tour. We started out in the car park where our guide explained how the height of the walls was increased as inmates kept escaping! He also showed us how the yard had changed after a haulage company used the jail as a shunting yard. Next we went into the naval wing which was used during the war. He was able to show is how the heating and ventilation systems worked, and said how it was state of the art and most modern jail in Europe when it was built. From here we went into the basement below the main ventilation tower where we saw where the heating system would have been, and some underground cells. As we climbed up 6 levels, we saw rooms that had their place in history, including where the crown jewels and doomsday book were stored for a short period. The tour finished at the top of the tower where the outlet of the ventilations system was.