Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is seeking views from the public on proposals to designate Scotland’s largest and best-known prison as a Category A listed building.
Barlinnie, in the northeast of Glasgow, is the most complete surviving example of a 19th century prison in Scotland and is exceptionally important in the history of Scottish prison design and criminal justice. The proposed listing would cover the surviving parts of the earliest layout of the site developed between 1880 and 1908.
Construction of Barlinnie started in 1880 and the site opened in 1882, the first new prison to be built in Scotland following the nationalisation of the prison system with the Prison Act of 1877. The large parallel prison blocks built at Barlinnie displayed the influence of new prison design established in the UK from this time, with a move away from the overtly fortified architectural elements seen in earlier prisons. This reflected the thoughts of the time about how best to look after and reform prisoners.
Building at Barlinnie continued throughout the late 19th century, and the prison continued to expand in the 20th and 21st centuries with a number of alterations and modernisations. Significantly, the majority of the early prison buildings - including the halls, chapel, hospital, workshops, gate house and sections of boundary wall - survive and retain their historic character as imposing, late 19th and early 20th century institutional structures.
These buildings at Barlinnie are also significant for what they reveal about changing attitudes to prison discipline and reform in Scotland, from the late 19th century to the present day. In the late 19th century prisoners at Barlinnie carried out hard labour, breaking rocks from a local quarry. Barlinnie soon developed a reputation for being a tough prison with harsh punishments, including the restraint of prisoners in handcuffs and canvas jackets overnight. In the mid-20th century Barlinnie was also a place of capital punishment with 10 men executed by hanging at the site in the period between 1946 and 1960, before its abolition in 1965.
In contrast, the later 20th century saw a pioneering experimental facility opened at the prison called the Barlinnie Special Unit, which attracted international interest. Operating from 1973 to 1994, the Special Unit took a new approach to reforming some of Barlinnie’s most violent inmates, allowing them greater freedoms. Prisoners could wear their own clothes and had increased access to their families. They were also encouraged to explore creative activities and the Unit achieved high-profile success stories, such as Jimmy Boyle who became a sculptor and writer.
Dara Parsons, Head of Designations at HES, said:
Listing is a way of ensuring that the importance of Scotland’s most historically, culturally and architecturally significant buildings is taken into account in decisions about their future.
“Barlinnie certainly holds a place in the national consciousness and is a rare and outstanding example of a purpose-built prison complex in Scotland, significant as the largest and most complete surviving example of its building type.
“We have not yet decided whether to list Barlinnie and we would encourage anyone with views on the building’s significance or any information that may help inform our final decision to review our report and take part in our consultation.”
The consultation will run until 22 January 2025.
About Listed Buildings
Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest. Listing is intended to ensure that what is special about a structure is taken into account in decisions about its future.
How HES makes decisions about listing is set out in the Designations Policy and Selection Guidance.
Find out more about Listed Buildings.
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
- Historic Scotland, Scran, Canmore, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, and Edinburgh Castle are sub-brands of HES.
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For further information, please contact:
Claire Mullaney
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07721 959 962
communications@hes.scot