What do the Kray twins, Magna Carta and Shakespeare’s will all have in common? They all served time at Somerset’s Shepton Mallet prison. Opened in 1625, ‘Mallet’ (as it is sometimes known) is the world’s oldest purpose-built prison, and is often dubbed the ‘world’s most haunted jail’.
The site was de-commisioned in 2013 and has attracted heaps of brave tourists since 2017, offering ghost tours and creepy overnight stays in 2020. But in the new year it’s set to shut its doors.
Since opening in 1625, Mallet has locked up notable criminals like the infamous The Kray twins, who were imprisoned there during the 1950s and houses the remains of seven men who were executed there between 1889 and 1926. During the war it became a top secret storage space to hide priceless pieces of British history including the Magna Carta, Shakespeare’s will and Guy Fawkes’ confession.
The closure comes after City & Country, which owns the site and Cove Group, which operates it, fell out. In a statement on the prison’s website, Joel Campbell, CEO of Cove Group, said: ‘Over the past seven years we have invested over £1 million into Shepton Mallet Prison, and despite a relentless campaign of perseverance, our endeavours to safeguard and enhance this historical site have been met with a disheartening lack of support from City & Country.
‘Our efforts to secure a future for the prison through direct purchase were not just undervalued but met with resistance and unreasonable financial demands, especially concerning property insurance costs that far exceed the market rate.
‘The closure is a stark reflection of the disregard shown by City & Country towards a business that has not only celebrated but vitalised the history and economy of Shepton Mallet.’
Visitors only have four weeks left to see the site for themselves before it officially closes on January 2, 2024.
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