Shepton Mallet Prison
Shepton Mallet Prison
Shepton Mallet Prison
5
Escape GamesHistoric SitesPoints of Interest & Landmarks
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Shepton Mallet Prison is a World Class tourism experience that inspires people, educating, engaging and immersing visitors through a journey behind bars. Our mission is to preserve, protect and promote the history and heritage of Shepton Mallet Prison, by shining a light on prison life from the Jacobean era to the modern day. Visitors are given a unique and immersive prison experience combined with first class customer service. Shepton Mallet Prison was built in 1625 and closed in 2013, making it the countries oldest prison. with over 400 years of history behind its high walls, Shepton Mallet Prison is a must-see heritage site.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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- richardCastle Cary, United Kingdom2 contributionsGreat evening ghost tourGreat ghost tour, Thursday 12th October, unfortunately I cannot for the life of me remember our tour guides name! But just wanted to thank him for an excellent evening tour! I have visited the jail before on a paranormal night which was great, but wanted to return for a ghost tour which gives a lot more insight into the spooky history of the jail. Fantastic experience and I would recommend to anyone curious about the spooky goings on in an old jail. No gimmicks or actors just a great tour…….Dear Connector53070529832, thank you for taking the time to review your visit to the prison for one of our evening Ghost Tours. For a long time, the prison has been regarded as the most haunted prison, and we are glad to hear that enjoyed your time inside hearing all the ghostly tales, and your guide Jeremy from the evening will also be pleased to hear your kind feedback.Written 15 October 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 12 October 2023
- Caroline Mitchell4 contributionsNO PLACE LIKE SHEPTON MALLET PRISON!Such an incredible place and so much history. This was my second visit and i spent four days this time! The staff are ALL so very, very friendly and helpful and they make all visitors so welcome. I have always enjoyed such a wonderful time there and i will be returning again next year!!!Hello Caroline, thank you for reviewing your Self-Guided tour of the prison. We are fortunate to be able to open up the prison for you to take time exploring and learning about the history, and we look forward to welcoming you again in the future.Written 15 October 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Travelled soloWritten 13 October 2023
- Abby-Lee1 contributionWe loved it.Great Tour. Jason (our guide) was knowledgable and interesting to listen to. Communication from the prison was superb too - there was filming during our original booking and so they needed to change the date. All communication was easy and timely. We would absolutely recommend.Hello Megan, thank you for reviewing your visit to the prison for one of the Guided Tours and for the recommendation. We will pass on your kind comments to your tour guide Jason.Written 16 October 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 October 2023
- Sharon SChristchurch, United Kingdom162 contributionsUnique, informative and interestingUnique, interesting and informative afternoon. Jeremy our guide was excellent. When we learnt it would be a 2 hour tour, my husband wasn't keen as didn't imagine there would be enough to keep us interested for that long. He was very wrong. And we could have stayed longer reading all the information panels. Recommend the guided tour.Hello Sharon, thank you for reviewing your visit to the prison for one of the Guided Tours and for your recommendation. We will pass on your kind comments to Jeremy your guide who will appreciate your feedback.Written 30 October 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 October 2023
- Dave RDudley, United Kingdom22 contributionsShepton Mallet PrisonWe took the self guided tour as we dropped in between the guided ones which run every 2 hours . We were given a map of the prison which was self explanatory and given directions by the friendly front of house staff . It took us around 2 hours to complete the tour and it was very interesting. Information boards were at all the interesting points whilst touring the prison giving a great insight into what it was like to be on the inside at different points in time during the prisons existence . Scary to think this prison was still in use 10 years ago. On the whole , a very enjoyable couple of hours learning about our countries penal systemThank you for taking the time to leave a review about your experience at our prison. We truly appreciate your feedback and are delighted to hear that you had a great self-guided tour. We’re glad you found the boards around the prison to be informative and engaging. Our aim is to provide visitors with a comprehensive understanding of the prison’s history, spanning over 400 years. We’re also thrilled to hear that our front of house staff were friendly and helpful. Our team takes great pride in ensuring that every visitor feels welcomed and well-informed during their visit. We hope to see you again in the future for one of our other tours or activities.Written 5 November 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 November 2023
- Sue A1 contributionWell worth a visitWe are members of Mendip Rotary & Inner Wheel, and spent an excellent couple of hours at Shepton Mallet prison last Friday. The history & heritage of the prison was fascinating, 400 years of history behind high walls. Topped off with a very good cream tea. Thankyou Jason, you were superb, so obviously very interested in the prison history.Thank you for taking the time to leave a review after your recent visit to the prison. Jason will be pleased to hear your kind feedback, as we all are. It is great to hear you feel like you were well informed and that Jason took pride in providing you with the history of the prison.Written 9 November 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 8 November 2023
- Steve BWeston super Mare, United Kingdom30 contributionsSpookily brilliant!!!Charlie, our tour guide was amazing. Had a full knowledge of the history of the prison and the inmates that resided there. She made it fun and informative at the same time. Top girl!! We had an utterly brilliant experience walking around the prison in the dark in all its eeriness. What a crazy place. Goosebumps!!!Hello Steve, thank you for taking the time to review your visit to the prison. For a long time, the prison has been regarded as the most haunted prison, and we are glad to hear that enjoyed your time inside walking around in the dark. We will pass on your kind comments to Charlie your guide.Written 19 November 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 17 November 2023
- Vinny CColchester, United Kingdom107 contributionsPrison guided tourBooked a guided tour and was not disappointed. They guided was very informative and knowledgeable. Great history and great personal stories. After the tour, we decided to go and explore more. The information dotted around the prison was well laid out and had lots of information All in all, it was a fantastic day. Definitely worth a visitHello Vincent, thank you for taking the time to leave a review after your recent visit to the prison for a Guided Tour. Your guide from the day will be pleased to hear your kind feedback, as we all are. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your visit with us and that you were also able to take the time to explore the prison after the tour, visiting some of the areas not covered.Written 27 November 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 November 2023
- Paul M1 contributionGreat afternoon spent in prison !I have been meaning to visit for some time but when I heard it was closing I needed to act fast. A warm welcome was received on arrival. The guided tour was conducted by Jason and he was great. Lots of interesting details delivered in an entertaining and informative way. There is so much history attached to this site that it would be sad to see it lost to future potential visitors.It would be like San Francisco closing down Alcatraz! There would be more visits from me if they are able to keep it open. The area needs good visitor attractions and this is one of the best. My fingers are crossed for them.Thank you for your kind review. We will pass your comments onto Jason. You will be delighted to hear the prison is remaining open. Do come back and visit us again for further experiences during 2024.Written 17 January 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 2 December 2023
- Wendy CookYeovil, United Kingdom4 contributionsGreat visitExcellent visit if a little cold that added to the atmosphere. Guide Jason was very good. It will be a great loss if this unique and historic building closes just for more property developments. I think we have enough of those. The prison is also very important to the local economy drawing in visitors. Keep it as it is! Def best to have a guided tour.Thank you for your kind review. We will pass your comments onto Jason. You will be delighted to hear the prison is remaining open. Do come back and visit us again for further experiences during 2024.Written 17 January 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 2 December 2023
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5.0
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26
lucyslemmings
Totnes, UK9 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
Visited with my 2 children, was charged £36 (which included £3 for parking on site) more than I'd expected after reading website prices. We did a self guided tour as my daughter wouldn't have managed a guided tour. Other reviews are very positive I know but I felt we were just wandering around a delapidated building, occasionally identifying something on the map. Why mouldy offices and admin rooms with wallpaper hanging off are open too I don't know, it just felt like a very overpriced experience. Actual prison cells were interesting but I don't think £15 to look at these was something I'd recommend. It feels like much more work is needed.
Written 3 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear lucyslemmings
Thank you for choosing to visit Shepton Mallet prison and provide us with feedback - it's always appreciated.
From reading your comments I think you would have benefitted from a guided tour which would have added structure and a compendium of information to your visit so I'm sorry this wasn't possible.
The website prices are for those who book online 24 hours in advance. We have now made this clearer and I apologise for the confusion.
However, we do feel there is so much to see on site - from the Victorian wings, the wheel house, the governor's house, the execution room to the newly created interpretation spaces. There are also a multitude of information boards around the prison along with sound boxes which add colour to the experience.
Perhaps you will be able to visit again and enjoy the experience to the full,
Thank you again for your feedback
Written 8 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Skybunker27
81 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We decided to visit the prison as it looked interesting. We had hoped to join a guided tour but they weren't running on the day that we were able to visit so we paid and self guided. There is parking outside the prison which is free but they also offer a car park for £3 which we used. The entrance fee we felt was very reasonable. We were given a map and told about the complimentary teas and coffees on offer in the visitors room. There is also squash on offer too. It was a cold day in January but we both enjoyed exploring all over the prison taking in all the sections that you could see. There was plenty of information written up on the walls and and signs telling you what each are was so that towards the end of our visit we were even finding we could get to bits already visited before without looking at the map. Was amazing to hear about the executed bodies that are still buried there and also to see the original cells that date back to when it was first built. It's one thing seeing prisons on tv programmes but it really gave you an in depth look being able to go round one especially standing up on the small landings outside the cells.
The prison also claims to be haunted and there are pictures on the walls that people have taken that have unexplained shadows in. It's also a prison where the Kray twins were for a short time.
Highly recommend this tour. Will be a shame if it has to close in November due to being redeveloped.
The prison also claims to be haunted and there are pictures on the walls that people have taken that have unexplained shadows in. It's also a prison where the Kray twins were for a short time.
Highly recommend this tour. Will be a shame if it has to close in November due to being redeveloped.
Written 24 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Skybunker27,
Thank you for your review from your visit to the Prions for a Self-Guided Tour recently. It is great to know that you were able to take time to read the information spread around the wings and the other places.
I hope you may be able to revisit again in the future, perhaps for one of the Guided tours next time.
Written 27 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
nooey7
Bristol, UK39 contributions
Apr 2022
Two of us went and we did the escape room and the self-guided tour.
At £18 each this was excellent value and we spent a good couple of hours wandering around the prison. I really liked that you could more or less go wherever you wanted as most areas/rooms seemed to be accessible.
It wasn't too busy either, which was great.
I would advise visitors to dress warmly, as it is really cold inside (no surprise there!).
The internal signage could have been better and be aware that you do have to pay to park in the prison car park, which we weren't told before arrival and only noticed after we'd parked. But at £3 it's reasonable for the amount of time you spend there.
The escape room was less satisfactory; as someone who does a lot of escape rooms, this was underwhelming and there wasn't a lot to do apart from try to work out the very convoluted and illogical final task.
I can't see how you'd get 5 people in the room and what you'd all do for an hour is baffling, especially as the final task is in one cramped corner of an already very small room.
The room is definitely not for beginners or young children. There was no timer available and we weren't even told that the time had started.
Overall, a very interesting place to visit and it was good value for money, but don't bother with the escape room.
At £18 each this was excellent value and we spent a good couple of hours wandering around the prison. I really liked that you could more or less go wherever you wanted as most areas/rooms seemed to be accessible.
It wasn't too busy either, which was great.
I would advise visitors to dress warmly, as it is really cold inside (no surprise there!).
The internal signage could have been better and be aware that you do have to pay to park in the prison car park, which we weren't told before arrival and only noticed after we'd parked. But at £3 it's reasonable for the amount of time you spend there.
The escape room was less satisfactory; as someone who does a lot of escape rooms, this was underwhelming and there wasn't a lot to do apart from try to work out the very convoluted and illogical final task.
I can't see how you'd get 5 people in the room and what you'd all do for an hour is baffling, especially as the final task is in one cramped corner of an already very small room.
The room is definitely not for beginners or young children. There was no timer available and we weren't even told that the time had started.
Overall, a very interesting place to visit and it was good value for money, but don't bother with the escape room.
Written 20 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello nooey7,
Thank you for taking the time to review your recent visit for The Cell escape room and Self-Guided tour. I am glad to know that you both enjoyed exploring the prison, and that you felt the cost was value for money; we are fortunate to able to open up so much of the prison, allowing you to explore and learn all about the 400year history.
However, I am sorry to learn that you did not enjoy the escape room activity on the day. We will certainly pass on your feedback about the escape room to the Activities team who run the activity, as they will always take on feedback and look at ways to improve this.
I hope that we may welcome you back to the prison for one of our other tours or activities in the future.
Written 12 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TimboBoy
Paignton, UK387 contributions
Aug 2020
I booked online and so that was good, and had the 1000h slot. It looks like there are other time slots but they may have been booked up. I booked the night before.
Initially it seems a difficult place to find - which for a large prison in a relatively small town seems bizarre. There are not any tourist brown signs that I could see and so relied on satnav. It took me down a narrow road and then back out again twice. I asked the postman and he too was looking for it but he said he was new to the area.
We found the entrance which has limited on site parking. Paid £3 to park and then went in. You pay at reception not a machine.
The prison is charmingly informal in that signage is simple and is not yet "slick" but that is not a bad thing at all. It is like it has just recently closed and you are lucky to be having a poke about. I have been to other museum's in their early days and have come back some years later to find health and safety has closed everything off and it has become a Disney type experience. It opened in 1610 and closed just 7 years ago so is not some dusty relic that is no longer relevant.
They do guided tours and other themed events. Well worth doing a bit of research to see what you could do if you had longer.
We spent about 1.5 hours in there and that was enough as my boy was getting tired. We all left really happy.
Well worth the entrance price and we will find out more about some of the other events they do there and see if we can go again.
Initially it seems a difficult place to find - which for a large prison in a relatively small town seems bizarre. There are not any tourist brown signs that I could see and so relied on satnav. It took me down a narrow road and then back out again twice. I asked the postman and he too was looking for it but he said he was new to the area.
We found the entrance which has limited on site parking. Paid £3 to park and then went in. You pay at reception not a machine.
The prison is charmingly informal in that signage is simple and is not yet "slick" but that is not a bad thing at all. It is like it has just recently closed and you are lucky to be having a poke about. I have been to other museum's in their early days and have come back some years later to find health and safety has closed everything off and it has become a Disney type experience. It opened in 1610 and closed just 7 years ago so is not some dusty relic that is no longer relevant.
They do guided tours and other themed events. Well worth doing a bit of research to see what you could do if you had longer.
We spent about 1.5 hours in there and that was enough as my boy was getting tired. We all left really happy.
Well worth the entrance price and we will find out more about some of the other events they do there and see if we can go again.
Written 6 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi TimboBoy
Thank you for taking the time to review your prison experience. For your information, our booking system states the opening time of the prison. You can arrive anytime after this time until last entry at 4.
It does sound like you managed to take your time around the prison and learn lots about the history and prison life.
We try to offer a no frills visit around the prison as you mentioned. we have done very little since its closure in 2013 to present real prison life to the world.
We will very much look forward to welcoming you again even on a Ghost Tour, or even a night stay.
Thank you again!
Written 20 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Abbi P
Somerset, UK128 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
Me and my partner are local and chose to do our first escape room here. What a fantastic location! We were pretty useless at escaping as we totally over thought it all but our helpful prison guard James gave us some hints to get us going (we still didn't escape in time but now we have a better understanding for our next one). We read some reviews before going and kept seeing James pop up so it was lovely to meet him and he certainly lives up to his reviews - do not argue with him!
Included in the price is a self guided tour of the prison and i can't believe just how big it is! Unfortunately, we went later in the day so didn't get to see it all but, plan to return for a proper tour.
I highly recommend visiting! We had such a good time. Everyone was very friendly, thank you!
Included in the price is a self guided tour of the prison and i can't believe just how big it is! Unfortunately, we went later in the day so didn't get to see it all but, plan to return for a proper tour.
I highly recommend visiting! We had such a good time. Everyone was very friendly, thank you!
Written 6 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria I
London, UK72 contributions
Sept 2020 • Family
We’ve just returned from Shepton Mallet prison, an amazing tour with Monica as our tour guide very informative.
Really interesting & quite sad when you learn about the executions.
It’s quite eery but very interesting. What I would say is that the policing excuse the pun of people sneaking into the tour should be checked as I felt a little miffed when I overheard a lady say, we can go around on our own as we’ve not paid for this. Even though they participating in the entire tour for free ! So a little annoying when we had paid full price for the tour and people can sneak in. So this really does need to be looked into.Don’t let this detract you from booking the tour as it really makes it & makes you feel as your stepping back in time Enjoy !
Really interesting & quite sad when you learn about the executions.
It’s quite eery but very interesting. What I would say is that the policing excuse the pun of people sneaking into the tour should be checked as I felt a little miffed when I overheard a lady say, we can go around on our own as we’ve not paid for this. Even though they participating in the entire tour for free ! So a little annoying when we had paid full price for the tour and people can sneak in. So this really does need to be looked into.Don’t let this detract you from booking the tour as it really makes it & makes you feel as your stepping back in time Enjoy !
Written 2 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello 105mariai,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review after your recent visit to the prison for a Guided Tour. Your guide from the day, Monica, will be pleased to hear your kind feedback, as we all are.
I am sorry to learn that you found people joined onto the guided tour; in light of this, we have altered our procedures to ensure that this is not repeated.
We hope to see you again in the future for one of our other tours or activities.
Written 1 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BristolLadies
Bristol31 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We booked last minute & thought it would be just us on the 2pm guided tour. Think the group was a around 30, obviously we are late to the party. Laura guided us around, so interesting & some great stories. Answered all of our questions & the whole thing was fascinating. Good for teenage children on a dreary January afternoon - highly recommend it. Thanks to Laura.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello BristolLadies,
Thank you for taking the time to review your recent visit to the Prison for a Guided Tour with Laura; we will certainly pass your kind feedback on to her.
The tours can certainly get very busy on the weekends (which is why we advise booking in advance when possible) so I glad that we were able to squeeze your group in.
We hope that we will see you again in the future for one of our other tours and events.
Written 26 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
13steve13
Torquay, UK27 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Very enjoyable and informative guided tour led by Monica. Not only a recently closed prison but a fascinating history dating back to 1600’s, prison was a brutal place then. You can view the prison without a guide but for only a few pounds extra you get to learn a lot more of the history and can ask lots of questions.
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello 13steve13,
Thank you for taking the time to review your recent visit to the prison for a Guided Tour. Monica, your guide, will be glad to hear your kind feedback. Although many people do prefer to the freedom to self-guide, you would certainly learn more on one of the 2hr guided tours.
I do hope that we may see you again in the future, perhaps during the warmer months!
Written 2 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Marie
Watford, England, United Kingdom7 contributions
May 2021
We booked the guided tour and after having to rearrange (with no issues) multiple times due to Covid Lock downs etc we finally managed to go on our tour. Our Tour guide was Monica, and she was AMAZING, she was very clear and concise and full of information, she answered all questions and gave a very entertaining and informative visit. The Prison its self is fantastic, and, with Monica's guidance you did really get a feel for how things were to be a prisoner all through the ages, we learnt all about Bob the friendly ghost and the Pierrepoint executioner family, and how the prison was used for so many things, in the war and since. (Wont give too much away as would ruin anyone wanting to go on the tour!) Myself and my son purchased hoodies in the gift shop, had a hot choc and then went for a wander on our own after and had an absolutely fabulous day. We were there almost 5 hours. They also offer escape room experiences, even a sleep over experience and a ghost tour! You can just wander without the tour, however we would absolutely recommend it as it gives a full experience that you cant beat! All the staff were friendly and helpful and we will be returning! Thank you for such a wonderful time, once again special thanks to Monica!
Written 27 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WriterChappy
South of England124 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
My wife and I visited a couple of days ago. Heard about this place recently and decided to take the 2 hour drive to have a look. We weren’t disappointed. Turned up at opening time and had the place to ourselves to have a good nose around. Plenty of notices around that give you a good idea of the history along with some of its more infamous inmates. Slightly disappointed we couldn’t visit certain bits like the gym or kitchens and the top floors of the wings, but don’t let that put you off. The online booking price of £10 each and the friendly staff (plus a resident cat who’s the spitting of our own) made it a really good trip. We took just under 2 hours to get round but you could easily take an hour or more longer. Thoroughly recommended.
Written 19 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi WriterChappy
Thank you so much for your lovely review - very pleased that you and your wife enjoyed your time behind bars!
We've had to close of a couple pf places in the prison to ensure the safety of all our customers but have worked hard to ensure the most interesting
parts are still fully accessible.
So glad it was worth your 2 hour drive and thank you for the recommendation
Written 6 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi my twelve year old granddaughter wants to take her mum on the overnight visit as a birthday present, I can’t find any actual age restrictions, any ideas anyone?
Written 6 May 2022
Shepton Mallet Prison
Shepton Mallet, United Kingdom
Hello Sarah, the Night Behind Bars events are 18+ events only, so would not be suitable for a 12 year old. As an alternative to think about, the Ghost Tours on a Thursday evening are suitable for ages 12+, when accompanied by an adult.
Written 12 May 2022
Hi we are staying overnight what sort of things would u suggest we take with us ??
Written 3 May 2022
Sorry we only went for the day we did not stay the night, it was cold there
Enjoy
Written 6 May 2022
Hi, I’m coming for the night behind bars next weekend. Did I read that there are limited rooms with bunks & may need to bring a small camp bed where there are two of us?
Thanks
Written 18 April 2022
Sorry I dont know because we only did the daytime cell escape
Written 21 April 2022
Hi I’m booked for an overnight stay in June what do I need to bring with me? Do I need to bring a torch bedding etc thanks
Written 18 January 2022
When we visited we were told about the overnight stays. There was nothing said about bring own beds however it will be COLD regardless of the outside temperatures so bring plenty of layers and snacks, you will be glad you did. I assure you there is a huge temp difference inside versus outside
Get a good night sleep the night before also, would be my advice. Just a hint.
Written 20 April 2022
How long does the guided tour last? We are booked in at 2pm and will be travelling from the West Midlands so have a long way to travel
Written 21 November 2019
The guided tour last about 2 hours.
Written 29 November 2019
Hi, is there free parking? We are visiting this saturday
Written 19 November 2019
Shepton Mallet Prison
Shepton Mallet, United Kingdom
Parking is £3 to use our car park on Frithfield Lane (10am - 5pm daily). Other options are available too; parking on the roads nearby or within a public car park as we are close to the centre of the town.
Written 1 December 2019
Really interested in booking this for a christmas present for my dad and boyfriend but it's a 4 hour drive from where we are, is it worth the drive up?
Written 7 October 2019
I wouldnt drive that far for it. At the end of the day its just a mouldy old jailhouse. The escape room is good fun and so is the tour and ghost hunt but none are worth hours in the car for when other redundant jails do similar experiences.
Written 2 September 2020
Hi how long does it roughly take to look round? Is it an all day thing? Just at i have a while to travel so want it to be worth it. Many Thanks
Written 8 August 2019
I would say you need a morning or an afternoon there to take it all in. You are given a short leaflet guide and map of all the buildings, and there are information boards throughout th prison which are very interesting. If you havent been before why not consider booking a guided tour. I did it the first time I went. You are taken around at a leisurely pace by one of the ex prison officers, so they are a fount of knowledge and they make it interesting with little stories of daily life there. I hope you enjoy it, I know I did and have been twice now.
Written 12 August 2019
What is the minimum age to do the sleepover night and also is there somebody there at all times to let you out incase you dont like it?🙄
Written 21 June 2019
Shepton Mallet Prison
Shepton Mallet, United Kingdom
The minimum age to participate in our A Night Behind Bars event in 18years, and there would be members of staff on site at all times.
Hope this helps. Let us know if you have further questions.
Written 15 July 2019
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