Shepton Mallet Prison, was the oldest working prison in the country. Originally built as a house of correction in 1610, the prison has a grim history.
In the C17th & C18th men, women & children would have been imprisoned together. Primitive sanitation led to regular outbreaks of gaol fever, venereal diseases and even death. The prison has a long history of executions, it was used by the American Military and the British Military, it housed the Kray Twins and over 300 tons of documents including the Domesday Book, Magna Carta, and the HMS Victory logbook.
Guided and self-guided tours enable visitors to take in the history of this fascinating building as well as learning about prison life. Other tours and activities include ghost tours, night tours, paranormal investigations, overnight sleepovers and escape rooms, educational tours and corporate events.
Whether you’re interested in the ‘dark’ stories, the C17th architecture or just want to know if a prison wing is ‘really like it looks on the tv’ then Shepton Mallet Prison is a ‘must visit’ – walk in the footsteps of history.
