The Gaol was built in 1829 by Joseph Aloysius hansom. A new wing was added in 1865, which helped with the introduction of the seperate system. It was the only working tread wheel in Britain, which was installed in 1867.
Prisoners who were given hard labour, were put to work on the tread wheel, pumping the water supply to a tank on the prison roof. The Gaol was closed in 1878, when it then became a police station until the 1950’s. In 1974 the old Beaumaris Gaol was opened as a museum to the public.
There were two public executions at Beaumaris. The first being William Griffiths, who was hanged in September 1830, for attempted murder. Richard Rowlands was the second and last man to be hanged on Friday 4th April 1862, for murder. Both bodies were interred at the Gaol. The gibblet can still be seen on the outer walls of the Gaol
First Broadcast: 16th January 2007