Clink Prison Museum
What Visitors Say
Loved this place! Perfect #darktourism spot in London. We bought a ticket in advance. I absolutely loved the place. The exhibition itself is a bit older, but it explains everything just right and suits the overall vibe in this dungeon. Real puppets, sound effects, ... Main attraction: the torture devices! You can actually handle and touch them! Of course, accompanied by the proper instructions, along with historical explanations and facts. Very much worth a visit.
We had a great little experience here, although I will say it's a little short, and there's an awful lot of reading to get through. The Museum does a fantastic job of going in to the nitty-gritty detail of how disgusting life at the clink was, especially the section that goes into the torture devices. Might be nice to design an app based Audio Tour you can get on your phone, I know many museums offer this and it saves faffing about with audio devices.
Great value of your money! It tells stories about the clink prison. It's a bit dark & there's spooky sounds that I think it's good. So a little bit scary for some kids. Before go out, don't forget to take a free photo and support this museum by purchasing some souvenirs. For photos you will get a code and download it to your phone.
This prison museum displays a large collection of torture instruments used by medieval prisoners, many of which you may have seen in storybooks. Besides viewing them, you can also feel their weight, giving you a real sense of the pain and suffering endured by the prisoners. The exhibition primarily features exhibits and explanatory panels. Although the area is relatively small, taking about an hour to walk through, it's definitely worth a visit if you're interested in this type of culture.
Suitable for teens & grown-ups. Under the age of 8 might get scared. They did a great job with the sounds of the scenery. You feel in that moment. You learn about many things that happened during that time.
Highlights
Liberty of the Clink
Shows how an autonomous church jurisdiction ran law and order—and profited from licensing vice—outside the City's control.Follow a map of Bankside's stews and playhouses to see why this tiny 'liberty' needed its own prison.
Intro gallery
Punishment & Restraint
Replica manacles, bilboes and the pillory demonstrate everyday carceral technology and debt enforcement.Handle reproduction irons and decide which were for immobilising debtors versus dangerous offenders.
Central hall
Faith, Heresy & Dissent
Explains why religious nonconformists and moral offenders often shared cells in the Clink.Match a prisoner's offence to the authority that sentenced them—bishop, City or crown.
Rear cases
Gordon Riots Aftermath
Traces how anti-Catholic riots in 1780 razed the prison, ending six centuries of the 'Clink'.Read riot notices and compare to surviving engravings of the ruins.
Final bay
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
The Clink belonged to the Bishops of Winchester, who governed the 'Liberty of the Clink'—a medieval enclave on Bankside where they licensed brothels known as the 'stews'.
The slang 'in the clink' is widely attributed to this prison's name and long notoriety on Bankside.
The prison is documented from the 12th century and was finally destroyed during the Gordon Riots in 1780.
So-called 'Winchester Geese'—women working in the licensed stews—fell under the bishop's jurisdiction and could be imprisoned here for infractions.
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