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This was built in 1588 across the corn market and alongside the Markeaton Brook, which also served as the towns sewer. The gaolers accommodation was above street level, but the prisoners were below, at the same level as the brook, this would sometimes overflow into the prison and some prisoners would drown. It was not long before the prison became dirt and disease ridden and complaints were high. But it continued for almost 200 years before another prison was built.
 The second prison was built in 1756 at Friargate it remained open until 1828.
The final gaol was built in South Street in 1827, it has a very gory history such as in 1831 when the reform riots marched into the prison demanding prisoners to freed, people were hurt and some even killed including John Garner.
The prison was well known for its public executions before the law changed in 1862 and said that they had to be done in private. The very last person to be executed at Derby was in July 1907 it was William Slack who was hanged for the murder of his mistress.
Hanging was not the only form of executions in Derby they also burned people at the stake and pressed them to death (peine forte et dure) this form was done to try and make the accused plead guilty before they died therefore giving up the right to their land, the last
known execution done this way was in 1665 on a deaf and mute women, how was she able to plead anything!
The prison was closed for civilians in 1916 and was then used by the army authorities until 1928.
Up until 1997 it had been many things including a nightclub, greyhound tracks and flats. It then was then restored to be as much like the original as possible, and became a museum.
Because of its past derby gaol is said to be very haunted, figures have been seen, some visitors are unable to go into the cells due to becoming very emotional and feeling sick, some have the feeling of being suffocated and voices and footsteps have been heard.
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