Your Ghost Hunt at Shrewsbury Prison
With endless areas to investigate including 'A' Wing, the vulnerable prisoners Wing, long corridors, execution areas, the hanging room and the cells themselves, there is hardly enough time to cover all the ground at Shrewsbury Prison. This Victorian Prison that was erected over the original Georgian Prison grounds, is a dire place to spend the night. It has a cold and dreadful atmosphere where misery is the key word.
The Georgian Tunnels of the original site are still in existence today and many secret entrances are evident. Your ghost hunt at Shrewsbury Prison will certainly open your eyes to how prisoners were treated and even in modern day they would have known about the hanging area which is still very evident. Spending the night here will not be easy by any means but if you are looking for that all important ghostly activity, then this Shrewsbury Prison is definitely for you.
Ghosts of Shrewsbury Prison
Are the ghosts of Shrewsbury Prison the many souls who executed here and still remain buried within the walls of this harrowing location?
With many bangs being heard in the corridors, cell doors crashing shut and people wailing it is not surprising that it has become such a popular location for Haunted Happenings Ghost Hunters
People were hung here and part of the hanging involved somebody having to pull down on the victims feet whilst choking to death by the hangmans noose. The evidence of these public executions is still there today and many people report the sighting of somebody looking out of the window or the room where the executions took place. There are areas that look quite normal but then again there are areas that look horrific and the combination of these two areas is disorientating and confusing.
History of Shrewsbury Prison
HM Prison Shrewsbury was a Category B/C Men's Prison in Shrewsbury, Shropshire and the prison closed for good in March 2013. The former prison site, on Howard Street, adjacent to Shrewsbury Railway Station, covers the site of the Dana Gaol, a medieval prison.
There has been a prison on the site since 1793. The original building was constructed by Thomas Telford and the present prison building was constructed in 1877. The prison took female convicts until 1922
The name The Dana is still often used for the prison. The now disused platform 8 at the station opposite the prison, is masked from the opposite platform by a high wall which was used for transporting prisoners between 1868 and the First World War.
Between 1902 and 1961 there were several executions by hanging at HMP Shrewsbury for the crime of murder. These prisoners were:
Richard Wigley aged 34 yrs on 18 March 1902
William Griffiths aged 57 yrs on 24 July 1923
Frank Griffin aged 40 yrs on 4 January 1951
Harry Huxley aged 43 yrs on 8 July 1952
Donald Neil Simon aged 32 years on 23 October 1952
Desmond Donald Hooper aged 27 yrs on 26 January 1954
George Riley aged 21 yrs on 9 February 1961
In almost every case the murder victim was female. Executions took place at 8.00 am and all executed prisoners were buried in unmarked graves inside the prison. The four executions which took place during the 1950s were all conducted by Albert Pierrepoint and his assistant. The last execution in 1961 was conducted by Harry Allen and his assistant. In February 2014 the Ministry of Justice stated that the remains of ten executed prisoners were exhumed from the prison in 1972, cremated at a local crematorium and the ashes scattered there.
In September 2004, Member of Parliament - George Stevenson called for an enquiry into the amount of suicides which had occurred at Shrewsbury Prison. This came after three inmates had hanged themselves at the jail in 2 weeks. There are suicide cells where these men would have been held under close watch, but obviously not close enough.
A report in 2005 named Shrewsbury Prison as the most overcrowded in England and Wales. In August 2008 a further report stated that the prison had 178 places in use but held 326 inmates. A further report in June 2012 by the Prison Reform Trust stated that Shrewsbury took second place for overcrowding, holding 326 prisoners in space designed for 170 men, a figure exceeded only by Kennet in Liverpool at the time.
HMP Shrewsbury has a chilling history of suffering, misery and execution where many of the condemned remain, buried within the walls of thus harrowing location. Shrewsbury Prison closed its gates for good in March 2013 and is now well known for its ghostly activity.
Your Event Includes
- Use of ghost hunting equipment including EMF Meters, K2 Meters etc.
- Experiments including glass divination, table tipping and Ouija Boards.
- Workshop and separate vigils for returning guests.
- Ghost hunting vigils and séances in small groups.
- Includes teas and coffees
- Free time to investigate alone
Address, Maps & Hotels
Address & Hotel Information
HMP Shrewsbury
The Dana
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY1 2HR
For Hotels near to
Shrewsbury Prison , please click here. opens in a new window
Parking
- Street Parking and Local Car Parks
Information
Accessibility
- This location is not suitable for wheelchair users
- This location is not suitable for people with mobility issues or walking difficulties
Important
- All attendees must be 18 years or older
- All attendees must bring a torch
- Wear sensible shoes and warm layered clothing as the location may get cold at night
