NEW research has revealed that one of York’s popular visitor attractions is in the wrong place!

Historians have discovered that the area said to have housed Dick Turpin’s Cell in York Castle Museum is incorrect.

Although it’s not quite a case of highway robbery, staff at the museum have been unwittingly misleading tourists for years.

The mistake came to light as part of the planning for the museum’s new York Castle Prison feature, due to open in July.

A spokesman said: “The York Castle Prison project team were surprised, but delighted, to find out this fascinating new information.

“New research has shown the condemned cells area, reputed to be the place where Richard Turpin was held, was in fact not the condemned cells area until the 19th century.”

Researcher Dr Katherine Prior uncovered a 1732 plan for installing individual cells at the prison. It shows the cells in the early 18th century and has a label marking where the condemned room was at the time of Turpin.

The spokesman said: “As before, the exact cell he was imprisoned in at night is unknown. But the day room where he spent the last days of his life will now be where the highwayman’s tale is told, when the new project opens in July.”

The misunderstanding will be remedied as part of the new exhibition, which will allow visitors to see objects from the prison, study the prison’s past, and even look up their surnames to see if any of their ancestors were imprisoned there. The York Castle Prison plans were first revealed in The Press in December, and museum bosses have now set an opening date of July 17.

Business development director Mike Woodward said: “From the infamous highwayman Richard Turpin, to a young tearaway arrested with a boiled egg in his pocket, York Castle was once full of people with incredible and often moving stories to tell.

“Many of the authentic cells still remain here at the Castle and for the first time we will be using these to take an in-depth look at the building’s fascinating history.”

The project involves a £200,000 refurbishment, funded by City of York Council and Yorkshire Renaissance.


Plan courtesy of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Archives www.eastriding.gov.uk.