After a day out at Shepton Mallet Prison, it made me wonder about its history and how it ended up as a tourist attraction. So, I did a little digging into the history of this magnificent prison. This is what I discovered.
It all began in 1609, when a act of parliament by King James 1 stated that all counties should have a house of corrections, even though Somerset already had two house of corrections, due to the increase in demand it was decided that a third would be built and so land was purchased on Cornhill House, Shepton Mallet and in 1617 the first foundation stone was laid, it was finished and opened in 1625.
Still standing on its original site, Shepton Mallet Prison was the oldest operating prison in the Uk until its closure on the 28th May 2013. Shepton Mallet Prison has been through many changes over its 409-year history. The prison has also retained its origins, being referred to as HMP Cornhill, HMP Shepton Mallet, The Glasshouse, and Shepton Mallet Goel.
Prison Timeline
1625-1773: House of Corrections: The first Governor, George Sheephaye, received an allowance of £40 per annum on condition that ‘he behave himself honestly and discharge that place of governor, carefully.’ Prisoners were not separated and mingled in dark, damp cells, regardless of age, gender, or crime category. Recorded prison numbers were low, most likely due to pestilent disease, transportation, and ‘the bloody code’ under which a lengthy list of crimes were punishable with the death sentence.
1773: John Howard: In 1773, John Howard was appointed by parliament to inspect UK prisons. After his inspections, John reported back ‘Many who went in healthy are in a few months changed to emaciated, dejected objects. Some are seen pining under diseases, expiring on the floor, in the loathsome cells of pestilential fevers and confluent smallpox.
1884-1930: County Goel: Following the 1877 prison act, responsibility for prisons were passed to the Prison Commission. It was designated as the county Goel responsible for overseeing executions.
1930-1939: Prison Closed: Prison population declined to only 51 inmates, the jail was closed and mothballed.
1939-1942: British Military Prison (Glasshouse): The Prison accepted defaulters from the Army, Navy, and RAF, as well as several conscientious objectors.
1942-1945: American Military Prison: During this time, the prison became the headquarters of the disciplinary training center for the United States Army. It also accepted American defaulters from across Europe, as well as American soldiers who had committed civil crimes whilst stationed in the UK.
1945-1966: British Military Prison (Glasshouse): In 1952, the prison become home to the infamous London gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Kray, who were imprisoned for absconding from national service. The prison became known as ‘The Mallet.’
1966-2001: Civilian Prison: In 1973, it was a training prison. In 1991, Shepton Mallet became a Category C prison.
2001-2013: Category C Male Life Sentence Prisoners: Inmates who went to Shepton Mallet would have been sentenced for some of the most serious offences, for example, murder; they would have already served a great deal of their sentence at a different prison before being transferred to Shepton Mallet and being assessed as a lower security risk.
2013-Prison Decommissioned and closed: a decommissioning ceremony was held on the 28th March 2013, attended by officers, staff, past and present, as well as many others.
2017-Present Day: Tourist attraction: In 2017, the gates were opened once again, this time as a world-class tourism experience that inspires, educates, engages, and immerses visitors through a journey behind bars.
Aside from being a tourist destination, HMP Shepton Mallet Prison has also had its share of fame, being used for what it was built for in UK films and TV series. The famous YouTube channel Ghost Hunters also featured the prison in a month of visiting the most haunted places in the world for October 2025.
So, what does HMP Shepton Mallet Prison have to offer now?
Surprisingly, for quite a lot, this isn’t just an empty prison standing around closed, never to see the light of day again. Shepton Mallet has loads to offer for all the family, whether you want to just explore on your own, be guided, or have fun in the escape cell. This place has loads to offer the family. Oh, and don’t forget there are ghostly activities as well.
Daily Activities
Guided Tour: A guided tour of Shepton Mallet’s hidden spooks
Self-Guided Tour: General admission ticket which gives you access to explore all the sites, nooks, and crannies.
Ghost Tour: Prepare for the paranormal in a ghost tour during the late hours.
Night Behind Bars: Spend the night locked in the world’s most haunted Prison
Escape Room: Can you break free from the Shepton Mallet escape room “The Cell”?
Open all year round, the prison isn’t just a place of hauntings and history, it also hosts a range of seasonal activities, including half-term events, a majority of which are suitable for all ages!
This was written by our contributing writer, Leah Palmer.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons, Lachlan
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