Shepton Mallet Prison: Military Executions and Ancient Cells

Shepton Mallet Prison holds the distinction of being Britain’s oldest surviving prison, with parts dating to 1625. For nearly 400 years, it held criminals, debtors, and military prisoners. During World War II, it served as a military prison for the U.S. Army, and 18 American servicemen were executed there between 1943 and 1945. The prison closed in 2013 and is now open to the public for tours and paranormal investigations, with documented evidence of intense supernatural activity.

The History

Stuart Origins

The first prison on the site dates to 1625, making it nearly 400 years old. Some of the original structures still stand, including medieval-era cells that held prisoners for centuries.

Victorian Expansion

In 1790, the prison was significantly expanded:

• Built according to the “separate system”
• Designed to hold 130 inmates
• Included execution facilities
• Became a “model prison” for the era

World War II Military Prison

During WWII, Shepton Mallet served the U.S. Army:

• Held American military prisoners
• Used for courts-martial trials
• 18 U.S. servicemen executed between 1943-1945
• Most were executed for murder or rape
• British authorities also used it for military prisoners
• Several British soldiers executed there

The Kray Twins

In the 1950s, the notorious Kray twins served time at Shepton Mallet during their military service, before their later criminal careers.

Closure and Paranormal Fame

The prison closed in 2013. It immediately opened for ghost hunts and historical tours, quickly becoming one of Britain’s most investigated paranormal locations.

The Hauntings

The Execution Room

Where 18 American soldiers and numerous British prisoners were hanged:

• The gallows mechanism survives
• Intense electromagnetic anomalies
• The sound of the trapdoor
• Choking and struggling sounds
• Shadow figures with nooses
• Visitors experience physical sensations of hanging
• One of the most active locations in Britain

The Condemned Cells

Where prisoners spent their final hours:

• Cell doors slam violently
• The sound of praying in various languages
• Overwhelming dread and despair
• Apparitions of young men in military uniforms
• Some executed were barely 20 years old

A-Wing: The Ancient Cells

The oldest part of the prison (1625):

• Stone cells that held prisoners for centuries
• Deeply oppressive atmosphere
• Georgian and Stuart-era prisoners
• The sound of chains
• Scratching on walls
• Visitors report feeling touched
• Temperature drops of 20+ degrees

The American Soldiers

The 18 executed U.S. servicemen:

• Young men in WWII-era uniforms
• Some appear confused about their location
• Reports of American accents in EVP recordings
• Their stories are tragic—most committed crimes while drunk
• They seem trapped between life and death

The White Lady

A female apparition in Georgian dress:

• Seen throughout the prison
• Believed to be connected to the debtor’s wing
• Appears sorrowful
• Glides rather than walks
• Multiple witnesses across decades

The Lady’s Wing

The women’s section:

• Female voices and crying
• The ghost of a woman who died in childbirth
• Baby crying heard from empty cells
• Victorian women prisoners

Documented Evidence

Shepton Mallet has yielded extraordinary evidence:

• Hundreds of EVP recordings
• Photographs of full apparitions
• Video footage of shadow figures
• Objects moving on camera
• Consistent phenomena witnessed by multiple groups
• Scientific teams have documented anomalies

Public Access

The prison offers:

• Historical daytime tours
• Ghost hunts and overnight investigations
• Special events and exhibitions
• Camping in the grounds
• One of Britain’s most accessible paranormal locations

Cultural Significance

Shepton Mallet represents:

• 400 years of British penal history
• WWII military justice
• The execution of young American soldiers far from home
• A remarkably preserved example of prison evolution from 1625 to 2013

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Shepton Mallet held prisoners for nearly 400 years and executed 18 American soldiers during WWII. Britain’s oldest prison is also one of its most haunted. The executed soldiers, some barely adults, remain in the cells and execution room. Four centuries of suffering have soaked into the walls, and the dead far outnumber the living within its ancient stones.