Review of Shepton Mallet Prison: an Educational and Fun Day Out

A few days ago my Mum and I went to do (and hopefully complete) an escape room at the UK's longest running prison: Shepton Mallet Prison. They actually describe themselves as the UK's and possibly the world's oldest prison, because they opened in 1625, and carried on holding prisoners until 2013, and their research hasn't found another prison which operated for so long.

We got there and straight away it was breathtaking. The walls were 70 ft high - the tallest in the country - and there was barbed wire everywhere. Once we got inside the receptionist was very nice and welcoming (my Mum keeps telling people how friendly everyone was at the prison and how that made it a really nice atmosphere). There was lots of stuff to look at while we waited: art from inmates of prisons, interesting news articles detailing past crimes and much more. When the "prison warden" came in she made us all jump. She, Amy, got us to follow her and line up against a wall. She did it very well - she was intimidating yet friendly at the same time. She told us not to use the toilet (it's fake), not to touch the electrical box in the room and how to use the intercom to ask her for clues. Then she lead us to our cells and locked us in.

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Escape Room at Shepton Mallet Prison

Before we started the "prison warden" told us that our "pipe game" had been acting strangely lately and that it may not work. At the time we didn't understand what she meant but we soon did. I will try not to spoil the escape room if you want to do it yourself, but it was very head scratching and entertaining. We had a hour to do it but there was no timer or anything, so there was no way of telling how much time we had left. Maybe make a note of the time you go in, as we thought we had an hour, but we now think they don't include the time it takes you to walk there and get given instructions (which is good). If you pressed the intercom she would come to our door and ask us where we were at and what we wanted help with. 

The only negative thing I can say is that our cell was a bit broken. The first game - the pipe game - wasn't working so she had to turn of the game and tell us what completing it would reveal. However, by turning off the game it meant the door wasn't locked. That didn't bother us though, so we continued. Our "prison warden" was very lovely and apologetic about it all.

Also, one of the puzzles involved lining up a piece of cardboard with some other bits of paper, and our bit of cardboard was a big damaged and taped up. It didn't make too much of a difference though, it was just something else not ideal about our cell. 

We eventually completed it, but at the very end you had to open an electrical box with a combination lock to open the door, bearing in mind at the beginning we were told not to touch the electrical box! To be fair, the other (real electrical) box was next to it and it did have a sign on it, making it clear that you shouldn't touch that one, but it was just quite ironic.

After the escape room we were the last people out, and we got the impression that we had run over time. Nonetheless the lady was very nice and took photos for us. She didn't seem to be in any hurry at all, so that was nice. They've been doing Escape Rooms at the Prison since 2022, and I think it was such a good idea to start them - where better to do an escape room than at a prison?!

Guided Tour at Shepton Mallet Prison

After our escape room we were booked in for a guided tour. However we did not have any lunch with us and were planning on buying something from the cafe. On the menu it said “sandwiches' but when we looked at what was on display in the freezers and on the counter we couldn't see any. Perhaps if we had asked they might have brought out some from under the till, but the only thing we could see on display were Pot Noodles! In the end we had Pot Noodles and shared a bottle of Diet Coke and some tiffin. 

The man who did our guided tour with us was very charismatic and nice. We started with four people on our tour, but a minute or two in the receptionist came out and asked if four more people who had just booked on could join out tour. After a short wait they joined and we continued. This didn't cut our tour short though - our Tour Guide, Jason, checked we all weren't in a rush and added on some more time at the end.

The tour guide seemed very knowledgeable and friendly, giving us a great tour of the prison. He told us lots of comedic tales, and some ghost stories as well! At one point he said there was only one person to ever escape Shepton Mallet Prison and not be found, and he flew off in a hot air balloon! He told us that this criminal is still at large to this very day. Leaving us all amazed, he went on to say that this convict went by the name of Paddington Bear! We then all realised that Paddington 2 had been filmed at Shepton Mallet, as well as many other tv shows and films, including Des, staring David Tennant!

We were always given a warning whenever he was about to talk about something squeamish, such as old fashioned execution methods. It was all very informative, and surprisingly enjoyable. I hadn't really been looking forward to the guided tour when my Mum said she'd booked it but I really enjoyed it. It sounds like lots of people go back to the prison to visit - people who worked there, or lived there whilst their parents worked there or even were prisoners there! And the Tour Guide can tell you about things they learned from those visitors coming back.

We also saw a lady in costume carrying out one of the tasks prisoners would have needed to, unravelling string that had been used on a ship. That's when they told us about their "Living History" days where there are lots of people dressed up.

After the tour we were given free reign of the grounds. There were many interesting rooms to go into as well as lots of mannequins acting out situations and many signs. My Mum was impressed that you really could go almost anywhere (except for the chapel, also used as a gym, which she'd been curious about) unlike at National Trust houses where there's just a fixed little route .

After our day we were very tired but it had been lots of fun! I highly recommend it!

Visiting Shepton Mallet Prison FAQs

What age kids can visit Shepton Mallet Prison?

Whilst we were there, a group of young kids (maybe around 7 years old) arrived - I would have thought it was a school trip if it wasn't the very end of July. I think if young kids are going, they probably give you a slightly different tour, as we saw dressing up clothes at one point. So I'd say young kids should probably visit as a specially arranged visit, as whilst I loved our tour (and I'm 11), I think my sister (7) would have gotten a bit bored of listening for an hour and a half (especially because we wouldn't have wanted her to hear the scary bits), and my brother (3) really would have gotten bored. So I'd say 10+ for a normal visit.

Having said that, we did see trail / tour guide books for kids of different ages so that suggests they do make it interesting for people of all ages. My Mum was really impressed that the trails were divided by age (there's a photo in the gallery of this post).

Is there a cafe at Shepton Mallet Prison?

There is a basic cafe in the main reception / waiting area of the prison. The menu mentions sandwiches, and they might have had these if we'd asked but we didn't see any. We did see someone eating a scone with jam and cream, which they advertise on the menu. Overall what was out on the counter was pre-packaged stuff (crisps, pot noodles, chocolate bars and pre-packaged flap jacks/tiffin/rocky road) or slices of big cakes. But it was plenty for the 2 of us, and it meant lunch only cost Mum £8.

Is there parking at Shepton Mallet Prison?

There isn't parking for members of the public at the prison, but they email you before you visit telling you to park at Great Ostry Car Park (BA4 5DB), which was about a 10 minute walk away. Alternatively there's Commercial Road Car Park (BA4 5FQ). They ask you to arrive 15 minutes early for your escape room or tour, so build that into your timings. (I think really though you don't need to be early, they just don't want you to be late and if there was a queue at reception then you'd need to allow time for that.)

Are the Escape Rooms at Shepton Mallet Prison any good?

I think it was really good. The hardest thing often with escape rooms is trying to work out what to do, but the Prison Warden helped us with good pointers without giving too much away (but would give it all away if you needed her to). The puzzles were the right level of not too easy so that it was actually a challenge, and not so hard that you just couldn't do anything. 

What's the difference in the 2 types of Escape Rooms at Shepton Mallet Prison?

We did a Cell Escape Room, but there was also The Hole Escape Room. From what we learned on our visit, The Hole differs from The Cell because for The Hole you're handcuffed together, with a bag over your head, and you're in pitch blackness! (But then it ends up there are nightlights and little lights from various electronics in there so it's not completely dark.) There's also "Turf Wars" where you go into multiple rooms.

Is it worth getting a Guided Tour of Shepton Mallet Prison?

Having done one, I'd say yes. There is signage to read around the prison, but a tour guide gives you loads of extra interesting information. It's 90 minutes long but it goes really quickly, and that includes a short amount of time to explore one (haunted!) section on your own if you wish for a few minutes. If you didn't have a tour guide it would still be an interesting day out, and there were trails for visitors of different ages to do.

How long does a visit to Shepton Mallet Prison last?

We were there for ages! So we arrived at about 10:15, did the escape room at 10:30, had time to grab a pot noodle before our guided tour at 12:30 for just over an hour and a half, finished the tour and wandered around a few more bits we wanted to see such as the Infirmary and "Infamous Killers" room, and left at about 3:30pm. So we were there for around 5 hours! If you didn't do the tour and escape room you'd be quicker, but I think you could easily spend 2 or 3 hours looking around on your own.

Is Shepton Mallet Prison haunted?

They think so! Our tour guide told us they have a paranormal expert who works there and she has recorded hours of sounds from the most haunted spot (over the main entrance, in what used to be the bedroom of someone who worked there) and claims to have captured 5,000 or 6,000 different voices on her recordings! My Mum asked why there, and they said they think it's because it's where the prisoners would have entered so would have been super sad to be going into prison. It was also said that there's a "Stone Tape Theory" that old stone walls can hold more ghosts or voices from traumatic events.

Does Shepton Mallet Prison do ghost tours and ghost hunting?

Yes, according to their website the Ghost Hunting is on Fridays and Saturdays, for ages 18+. The Tour Guide mentioned Thursdays too which is a shorter ghost tour for ages 12+ but my Mum said she won't take me. You can also spend all night at the prison.

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