Gloucester Prison has tonnes of ghosts! Are you brave enough to stay a night in the haunted gaol? RICK HALE reports…
HMP Gloucester Prison
Barrack Square, Gloucester, GL1 2JN
HMP Gloucester Prison, a correctional facility in the city of Gloucester is home to the spirits of the prison’s violent past.
Prisons are not buildings where good memories are meant to be formed.
But rather a place where criminals go to repay their debt to society. And HMP Gloucester Prison is no exception to that rule.
Here the memories of of those who were imprisoned and executed are forever etched into the hard concrete and cold steel of the prison.
And according to those that visit, those memories walk among the living.
History Of HMP Gloucester Prison
Gloucester Prison was originally part of Gloucester Castle which was built in 1185.
In 1228, the first county gaol was established in the castle and the first prisoners, mostly debtors, were imprisoned behind its thick stone walls.
After 500 years as the county gaol, John Howard wrote an unfavourable report about the prison in 1777.
In 1787, Gloucester castle was demolished and a new prison was designed by William Blackburn and completed in 1791.
Throughout its history as a high security prison, Gloucester was home to several notorious serial killers who continued to carry out their murderous acts under lock and key.
Between 1792 and 1864 over 100 executions were carried out by the prison. Many of these executed inmates are still buried on prison grounds.
Although the prison was closed in 2013, the former inmates who met their fates behind prison walls still call it home.
The Hauntings Of Gloucester Prison
Since closing its doors and reopening as a tourist attraction, there have been numerous bone chilling encounters with unexplained phenomena.
Most are benign in nature, while others keep with the history of the prison incarcerating violent offenders and ruthless killers.
Lights And Shadows
Visitors to the prison have reported bright balls and streaks of light swiftly flying through the corridors.
While others have reported sinister black shadows darting in and out of cells, as well as following people around.
One terrified guest needed to be carried out of the prison after a shadow violently shoved her to the ground.
Ghosts Of C Wing
The prison’s C wing is reportedly the most active area on prison grounds.
The apparitions of former prisoners have been witnessed peering around cell doors, curiously watching people as they walk past.
And full bodied apparitions have been sighted walking past open cells.
On rare occasions, these apparitions have been known to grasp the cell doors violently slamming them shut on people.
The Sceptical Guard
Shortly before closing its doors as a prison, one of the guards received the fright of his life.
The courageous guard wanted to test some of the ghost stories he had heard from the prisoners and entered one of the haunted cells.
While standing in the cell provoking the spirits to do something, one of the spirits decided to take him up in his offer.
The guard watched as the door to the cell slammed shut bathing him in the inky darkness of the cell.
When the guard began hearing voices he immediately panicked and tried with all his might to open the door. To his dismay it would not budge.
Finally, after several long minutes the door opened and the guard discovered the lock had been removed.
Following his disturbing experience, the guard was no longer quite so dismissive of ghostly activity.
HMP Gloucester Prison has become a popular tourist attraction in the city of Gloucester.
The prison is open daily for people who want to tour the prison and learn of its history.
As for those interested in the ghosts of Gloucester Prison, the prison offers overnight stays for those brave enough to investigate the violent spirits that will remain there for all time.
If you’ve visited Gloucester Prison, and had a paranormal experience, we invite you tell us about it in the comment section.
