15/10/2026
Did you know Peterhead Prison’s history stretches beyond its walls—and into the harbour beside it?
Opened in 1888, the prison was established to supply convict labour for the Harbour of Refuge project, designed to shelter ships from dangerous North Sea storms.
Prisoners were transported by train to Stirling Hill quarry, where they broke huge granite boulders by hand. The stone was then carried to the Admiralty Yard and incorporated into concrete blocks for the breakwaters.
It was demanding physical work that connected the daily lives of prisoners to a project spanning generations. On 26 September 1956, the last block was laid, marking a major milestone in the harbour’s construction.
Next time you look across Peterhead Bay, remember the prison labour behind the stone—a lasting connection between Scotland’s Toughest Prison and the town’s maritime history.
