The Old Bailey stands on one of London's most historically charged sites, where justice and horror have intersected for centuries. Walking past this imposing Edwardian building on the street that gives it its name, you're following the ancient route of London's medieval wall – the bailey that once formed part of the city's fortifications.

What strikes you first is Edward William Mountford's monumental 1902 design, a Grade II* listed building that manages to look both dignified and slightly forbidding. The current courthouse replaced something far more sinister: the notorious Newgate Prison, which had occupied this spot since the 1100s. That medieval gaol was a byword for disease, despair and death – conditions so appalling they shocked even hardened 18th-century observers.

The prison's legacy lingers in unexpected ways. Public executions moved here from Tyburn in 1783, drawing massive crowds who treated hangings like theatrical performances. Thomas Rowlandson's paintings capture these grotesque spectacles: thousands packed into the street, climbing onto roofs and hanging from windows to get a better view, while street vendors sold refreshments to the mob below.

Today's Old Bailey serves as the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, hearing major criminal cases from Greater London. In exceptional circumstances, trials from across England and Wales make their way here too. The 1972 South Block extension sits directly over the former prison site – demolished in 1904, though not soon enough for the countless souls who suffered within its walls.

Discover all the secrets of The Old Bailey with our complete London audio guide – the guided tours that opened recently offer fascinating insights you won't find elsewhere. Court officers and City of London Guides share stories that bring the building's dark past into sharp focus, complete with some genuinely unsettling artifacts from the prison era.

The contrast between the building's current role and its bloody history creates an oddly compelling atmosphere. This isn't just another London landmark – it's a place where England's relationship with justice, punishment and public spectacle played out in its most extreme forms. The trials here still draw crowds, though thankfully the entertainment value has shifted considerably since Newgate's grim heyday.