The Clink prison museum, located in London's Southwark. The museum sits at the original site of the infamous prison and delves into its history while showing off its torture devices. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
The Clink prison museum, located in London's Southwark. The museum sits at the original site of the infamous prison and delves into its history while showing off its torture devices. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
A creepy mannequin greets visitors to The Clink prison museum in London. The museum, located at the original site of the infamous prison, delves into the prison's history. It boasts to being the first prison to regularly confine women. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
A few of the hands-on torture devices inside The Clink prison museum in London. The museum, located at the original site of the infamous prison, delves into the prison's history while showing off its torture devices. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
Aspiring torturers can strap a victim into this toture chair for a photo opportunity inside London's The Clink prison museum. The museum, located at the original site of the infamous prison, delves into the prison's history while showing off its torture devices. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
LONDON — People are normally thrown into prison against their will. But in London they actually line up and pay to enter one.
The Clink was a notorious prison where medieval criminals did their time under tortuous conditions. It held priests as well as prostitutes and boasted that it was the first jail to regularly imprison women. It was so infamous that its moniker became a nickname for prison.
Between the 12th and 18th centuries, The Clink operated in Southwark’s Bankside area, the red-light district of London when it was infested with gamblers and ladies of the night.
Today, the prison is back in business — the tourism business, that is. For a fiver or less, morbid sightseers can head into the prison, now a museum, and bear witness to the cruel and unusual torture devices of yesteryear England.
"We have the original devices that you can pick up," said Hannah Chamberlain, the museum’s supervisor.
If a woman complained back then, she could be put into the scold’s bridle. This metal device covered a women’s head while an iron gag, sometimes spiked, was forced between the jaws to cause agony and insanity.
Other hands-on devices in the dark, creepy museum include a metal boot used to slow down a prisoner, chastity belt, a heavy iron collar and the ol’ ball and chain — the real thing, not your spouse.
Another interesting device on display is the thief catcher, an elongated pole fitted with an unpleasant restraining tool at one end. The person using the device would aggressively stab it toward a criminal’s jugular. Once it hit the neck it would then lock it in place to the pole. This was a safe method to capture criminals wielding swords.
Unfortunately, the museum’s thief catcher is attached to the wall and cannot be demonstrated on your friends or family members.
You can, however, have a go at the museum’s execution block. Probably won’t behead anything with its fake ax, though. Or you can strap someone to the torture chair and see if they spill out any confessions.
Apart from being interactive, the museum is also informative, with many signs delving into the prison’s history as well as crime and punishment in England.
"We are a historical museum," Chamberlain said. "We’re not interested in scaring people; we’re more about telling them what actually happened."
Just before you leave the museum there’s a sign sharing a few unusual laws of early England. Some of them still exist in the legal system.
Here are some examples:
Excluding Sundays, it is perfectly legal to shoot a Scotsman with a bow and arrow.Anyone caught trying to commit suicide shall be hanged for such an offence.It is illegal to be a drunk in possession of a cow.Getting thereLocation: 1 Clink St., London SE1 9DG. The historic prison can be found in Southwark near the Golden Hinde ship. The closest Underground station is London Bridge.What to see: The Clink was an infamous prison used between the 12th and 18th centuries. Today, a museum sits at its original site and informs people of its horrible past, including its collection of torture devices.Admission: 5 pounds for adults and 3.50 pounds for children younger than 16.Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
