Shepton Mallet Prison Guided Tour: Explore Historic Buildings and Infamous Residents

Embark on a guided tour of Shepton Mallet Prison, delving into its historic buildings and infamous residents. Experience the hidden world of capital punishment and the secrets behind locked doors.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Shepton Mallet Prison - Explore the paths once tread by inmates over the past four centuries. Uncover the secrets behind the towering walls and secured gates. Delve into the concealed realm of capital punishment and witness the very sites where executions were carried out.
    Shepton Mallet Prison offers guided tours led by former prison officers who…
What's Included
  • Admission to Shepton Mallet Prison
Additional Information

Experience the history of the last 400 years by tracing the path of past inmates. Uncover the mysteries that lie behind the towering walls and sealed entrances. Delve into the concealed universe of death sentence and witness the exact spot where lives were ended.
Shepton Mallet Prison offers informative tours led by former correctional officers who were…

Location
Shepton Mallet Prison
Frithfield Lane
To meet for this tour, please enter the visitor centre 15 minutes before your tour time
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(1571 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Julie
Aug 18, 2025
Brilliant - One if the best guided tours we have been on. The guide taking us around,sorry can't remember his name, was really knowledgeable and very willing to answer any questions . Found out a lot about the prison such as the kray twins being held there. And the use of the prison during the wars by the Americans. Can recommend this tour for anyone interested in history
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ajpamaral88
Aug 17, 2025
Great time spent at Shepton Mallet Prison - We had a fantastic visit to Shepton Mallet Prison! The three of us (including an 11-year-old) absolutely loved it — and even our dog was welcome, which made the day extra special. The staff were all incredibly kind and helpful from the moment we arrived. Our tour guide, who bore a striking resemblance to David Tennant, was brilliant — funny, engaging, and full of knowledge, making the history come alive in such an entertaining way. He was clearly excellent at his job and kept everyone hooked throughout. After the guided tour, we really enjoyed the chance to wander at our own pace and explore different areas in more detail. It made for a fascinating and memorable few hours, with the perfect balance of structured insight and personal exploration. Highly recommend for families, history lovers, or anyone looking for something a little different — we’ll definitely be talking about it for a long time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ashleyw318
Aug 17, 2025
Brilliant Visit - We did a guided tour with Jason and he was absolutely amazing! His knowledge of the prison and its history was exceptional and he answered every question thrown at him. Would highly recommend a one once you finish the guided tour you have the rest of the day to do what you want within the prison itself! Great day for everyone
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Devonb965
Aug 16, 2025
Absolute must do - Absolutely superb. Great tour guide Jason took us around for that was a fascinating experience. Rollercoaster of experiences, ranging from shock, awe and learning. Heartily recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Strangeadventures31
Aug 16, 2025
Great ghost tour experience - We had a great night on the ghost tour. Jason, our tour guide, was great - he had lots of knowledge and stories to share and a fun, kind, and professional attitude. It was great to explore the prison at night, to hear some of the history and paranormal stories, and to experience being shut in a cell in the dark.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L8016kakarenw
Aug 14, 2025
A must see - Absolutely brilliant day out, our tour guide was great ( Jeffery, jeramy ?)and worth doing. We did the tour which was very interesting and informative. We left and went into the town for food as there is only a coffee shop and a few sandwiches for sale, we were allowed to come back in and we looked around again on our own which gave us a better sense of where we were going (still got lost 🤣) we were there for 5 hours all in all but could of stayed longer as it’s such an amazing place to visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathyhd8652ho
Aug 12, 2025
Superb fabulous day out! - Absolutely amazing!! Our guide was so very good, friendly, informative and so enthusiastic! Would highly recommend to anyone local or visiting the West Country. The guided ticket then allows you to wander back round. The reception staff were friendly and the café served a nice latte! Thinking of returning for guided ghost tour, night behind bars or escape room
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lindamf7827pd
Aug 11, 2025
Guided tour great - We had a great time, very interesting. Jason our guide was very knowledgeable and had great stories and facts to share with us, but also made it fun. We took our 19-year-old grandson and 14 year old granddaughter. Within a few minutes of Jason starting our tour he got them interested and listening by making the tour fun as well as factual.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susanmj
Aug 9, 2025
Interesting and entertaining visit - Four of us enjoyed a guided tour of the prison with Jason. He was knowledgable and entertaining and we all enjoyed learning some of the history of the prison. Jason was happy to answer all our questions and we would recommend having a guided tour as otherwise you'll miss a lot of the stories and details.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Judithrb2179ek
Aug 9, 2025
Unexpectedly Brilliant - My husband was unsure that he wanted to visit here, but he did and we had the guided tour. Jason was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and engaging. It was a brilliant day out both interesting and moving, especially when in the execution room. Would highly recommend as an alternative trip out, that will teach you allot about the prison system through the ages.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $34
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).