A MUSEUM in Malton is temporarily playing host to a virtual tour of some historic cell blocks - and their century-old graffiti.

Until April 25, Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum will be home to an exhibition of the Richmond Castle Cell Block.

Covering the walls of the 19th-century cell block at Richmond Castle is graffiti drawn by imprisoned soldiers and the ‘Richmond Sixteen’; a group of conscientious objectors who were placed in there during WWI.

The graffiti ranges from portraits to political and religious statements, pastoral scenes and regimental numbers.

With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage has been undertaking a project to record, conserve and research this record.

This new exhibition, on display in the Museum’s Hut 12, invites visitors to walk through the cells in a virtual tour, discover the science behind the graffiti’s conservation, and read about English Heritage’s latest research discoveries and community activities.

Nick Hill, manager of the museum, said that Eden Camp are the first museum to display the exhibition, and although it’s only on site for another week they may get it back in the summer months, as English Heritage look to tour the exhibition in the area.

“It’s certainly proved interesting to our visitors,” he said. “Graffiti is important - it’s been used as propaganda.”

He added that this graffiti predominantly dates back to world war one, but there are images that appear to be from the second world war as well - with some potentially being drawn by prisoners of war.

This exhibition has been produced thanks largely to the support of National Lottery players through a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).