Walking from the London Bridge Tube Station to the Globe Theatre the day after Christmas 2005, we wandered upon The Clink Prison. The sky was gray, and cold rain was falling. Prison or not, it looked warmer inside than it was in the street. Plus, it was open. Sold!
The most interesting thing I learned here was how this dark place has lent its name to the English vernacular. Jails are often called 'the clink' today because so many prostitutes and other criminals were once thrown into the dank confines of the Clink Prison in London. Begun in Saxon times, The Clink also housed heretics who disagreed with the powers that be (not necessarily God) and unfortunates who couldn't pay their debts. It was ruled over by the Bishop of Winchester who had a palace nearby.
So what was the attraction like to visit? Well, in all honesty, it was just okay. This is a fairly small museum that won't take you long to get through. While the history is certainly interesting, the presentation was a bit... uh... lacking. You simply walk through and read the signs for yourself. There is some concentration on the torture used on the poor prisoners, and you get a sense of how awful it must have been to be housed with masses of others in such a small space. Yet, you somehow won't be able to shake the feeling of hokey.
Is this a good family attraction? Small children would be bored. My eleven-year-old son thought it was okay but not all that memorable. At five pounds per adult, it seemed a little expensive to me.
With all that said, The Clink is one of the few museums that operates seven days a week including during holidays when much of the rest of London is shut down. Open from 10AM-6PM, it'll take less than an hour to see. The little booklet you can buy with your ticket is worth the extra quid. I found it to be more interesting than the museum!
Check http://www.clink.co.uk for more information.