Napier Prison

A shabby but respected ancient relative of the genteel homes of Bluff Hill is the very old prison not far south of the lookout. A prison from 1900 onwards, the generous site belonged to the government since the 1860s, and was used to house a number of institutions - the first being the armed constabulary.

It is now a criminally themed entertainment venue and a backpacker hostel.

Heritage New Zealand have listed the stone wall that was built by prisoners in 1905. Their reasons are sound, and so is the wall, being carefully constructed from stones quarried and squared from the on site quarry, one of three throughout New Zealand that have brought The Corrections Department significant income. The others were at New Plymouth and Paparua.

Here, prisoner labour and quarried stones were earlier used to help with a breakwater for the port, and for the Napier Law Courts. There is also record of them creating foundations for foundations for Hukarere Girls School, which was a hostel for "native" girls at Napier Girls High School which is directly behind the Prison. Hukarere, inintially a project of missionary William Colenso, is now located in rural Eskdale.

The prison wall is protected, but is so solid it does not appear to need any help. It is also reported to have been decorated in parts with carved artworks on some stones, put there by the prisoners during the construction. The buildings within the complex, are reportedly not as solid, in fact a retired Prison Guard told the media that an inmate could have kicked the walls in if they chose to. Instead the Corrections Department finally kicked the whole place for touch in 1993.

The present day Backpackers Hostel has been running since 2007, recently adding prison tours and the popular recreational activity called 'Escape Rooms"

Those who take the tour report that etched upon the very real built heritage of the 150 year old facility, are the scars of the 1931 earthquake. Walls and ceilings are warped, and the floors bent every whichway. Because much of the town fell down or burned down at the time, and the remaining colonial buildings were repaired, this is one of few places to see clear evidence from the day of the quake.

Other things to see here are the real graves of two men who were hanged, and the yard where the grizzly punishment occurred. Part of the tour also focuses upon rumoured paranormal activity, especially in some spooky basement halls, and sometimes accompanied by the current Prison Cat. You may also don a stripy shirt (or not) and have your mugshot taken in the genuine environment as a souvenir.

There may never be an end to the tussle between New Plymouth Prison, Addington Jail, and this one as to which is the oldest facility in New Zealand, they each have serious historical credentials and are all oldest under different definitions of the term.

Image Credit: (1910- 1919) Looking south down the Marine Parade from Lighthouse Road on the town of Napier showing the Marine Parade (running vertically, centre left), the Municipal Swimming Baths (left, on the beach) Coote Road (running off the Marine Parade, in the foreground) and Napier Prison (centre right) Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections.