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Shrewsbury Prison

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Shrewsbury Prison

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Shrewsbury Prison, The Dana, Shrewsbury, SY1 2HP

Information

The current prison buildings are Victorian, built in 1868 but there has been a prison on that site since 1793. The prison was decommissioned by the Ministry of Justice in 2013 and is now open to the public as a tourist attraction offering a variety of tours including Guided and Self-Guided.

The Guided Tours are led by Prison Officers who showcase just what life was like, day and night, for prisoners, officers and visitors. During the two hours, they shine a light on what really happened, from the Victorians to the 21st century, behind the high prison walls. Tours take in two wings (one is particularly haunted) the exercise yards, the segregation cells, healthcare and the execution room including the condemned man's cell and the executioner's room.

Other tours including Ghost Tours are also available, which are the only tour that take you into the Georgian tunnels located below the Victorian building you see today.

Some visitors prefer to wander the vast site at their leisure, we hand out maps and there are clear signs around the site. Staff are always available to answer any questions.

There is also an area devoted to a wide range of activities including iCombat Laser Games, two prison themed escape rooms to choose from and Axe Throwing.

If this all sounds like thirsty work there is a restaurant on site offering excellent homemade food.

Opening times

10:00 - 17:00

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Shrewsbury Prison - a fascinating taste of life behind bars

By Dan | Apr 2nd, 2023

Tagged: England | Favourite Places | History | Shropshire Hills

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We recently revisited the wonderful town of Shrewsbury in order to make up for some missed opportunities - one was its wonderful castle , but another that really intrigued me was its prison tour. While steeped in history, Shrewsbury Prison, or The Dana, was an active prison right up until 2013, so this is not just a journey into the past but also a trip into the realities of modern prisons and the kind of lives their prisoners would have led. The tour of the prison is something we had no idea existed, but it made for such an interesting and different day out that I wholeheartedly recommend you take some time out of your day to see what life behind bars looked like for prisoners throughout the last 200 or so years.

Shrewsbury Prison is located directly next to the train station, alongside the river and with the castle looming in the distance. The prison has a small car park opposite and a slightly larger car park adjacent just up Howard Street , but there are plenty of options dotted around the town if you are visiting with a larger day in mind. You can pick any one of the other car parks around town - such as Frankwell Car Park (cross the river by footbridge and you are a short walk away), Raven Meadows Car Park (roughly the same distance away, without crossing the river) or even going a bit further afield as we often do and stopping on Abbey Foregate Car Park . As you can probably imagine, trains are a great option if you wish to visit the prison, and buses are plentiful around town. Walking from the centre is as simple as following the A5191 away from Pride Hill, where the Darwin shopping centre is, passing the train station and under the train bridge before turning up Howard Street and climbing to the prison entrance up a short hill.

We passed by the colossal wooden door that would have been Shrewsbury Prison's original entrance and followed the signs down the side of the building to the information centre and gift shop. A warm welcome awaited us, we discussed the options, bought our tickets and took our maps so we could begin our self-guided tour - the maps are clear and straightforward enough to follow and the prison has plenty of information around, in fact, if you prefer you could quite easily explore freely without too many problems, but the map gives a logical order to everything making sure you don't miss any major stops and for our tour, we followed the route as mapped out then zig-zagged a little before heading home. If you need to use the facilities there are bathrooms dotted all around the prison (they do ask you politely not to use the toilets in the cells!) as well as a baby changing station and even a restaurant in case you wish to break up your visit with a bite to eat.

Leaving out the door as directed and following the map, you will immediately be on the opposite side of Shrewsbury Prison's giant door through which most prisoners would have been carted in, and you can get a taste of this by popping into the Prison Van, a modern box van that still features all of the fixtures it would have when in service, including individual holding cells for prisoners and stations for guards. Beyond that, you can explore the gate lodge and the rooms dotted around, almost every area of the prison is frozen in time as it was when the prison shut down, so you can still get a really clear feeling of what life was like for inmates and guards alike. Once you've explored this little outside section, then it is time to step inside the reception area, just as you would a newly arriving prisoner...

The first dose of bleak reality for prisoners hits as soon as you step through the barred gate, via reception and into those holding cells, from here you explore the areas dedicated to searching and showering new prisoners - you can only imagine what it must have felt like to walk through these rooms, the reality setting in as a soon-to-be resident of Shrewsbury Prison. There is an almost overwhelmingly desolate ambience as you wander the prison, something that is a real reality check for anyone who hasn't experienced life inside and it all was quite sombre and a little humbling, certainly a place you would want to desperately avoid ending up. Before moving into the prison proper, your tour can take a quick detour to explore the offices of the Governor and his officers, then when ready, A wing awaits...

The A wing is the largest part of the tour, spanning 4 floors (with the major labelled attractions on the map spanning the first two floors), again the feeling of dread as you emerge out from the corridors into the open space is a little daunting, somewhere that would have been the majority of your day to day life if you had been a resident here. Shrewsbury Prison's history is on display in each cell, as well as some examples of modern life in prison too - immediately on your right is a range of cells, spanning from the modern day back to 1960 then, after an example of a padded cell, is the Victorian era cells. As scary as modern life in prison can seem, life in a Victorian-era prison is about what you would expect: grim, and things get worse if you decide to experience life in a Georgian prison, this is not accessible to the self-guided tours, but more on that later.  Opposite the historical cells is a range of cells representing more modern life - Segregation cells, Strip cells, those that require constant observation and more. Upstairs, there is more about life in the prison as well as a bit of information about the BBC drama "Time" - the prison is in a unique position to be a perfect film set for any production needing a real slice of life behind bars, and so a number of cameras have found their way in over the years, including Lucky Man, Brassic and Coronation Street to name a few.

Beyond the second floor of the A wing, the tour takes you to the prison's chapel, healthcare and visitation as well as a little display around notorious killers. After these is perhaps one of the darkest stops along the route: The Execution Room, as well as the Executioner's Bedroom. The Execution Room is a sizable space with little in it, except for a noose over a blocked-off hole to the floor below - ready for a short drop and a sudden stop. We took our time in this room, there is plentiful information about executions, the executioners and those who saw their end in this room - a distinctly harrowing experience, but a reality for many of those who found themselves on the wrong side of the law prior to the death penalty's suspension and abolishment in 1965 and 1969 respectively. The noose was certainly a shock, another huge dose of reality that impacted many prisoners, albeit one that has been retired in this country.

Onwards and into Shrewsbury Prison's C wing, a smaller two-story section of the prison which was the former female wing complete with a Haunted Cell for the superstitious among us - the guards at least were adamant this place was haunted, and Shrewsbury Prison claims to be home to multiple spectres. Descend the stairs and step outside to the yard, little more than an expanse of concrete, but for those who lived in the prison that taste of sunlight must have been something magnificent (and considering how cold the prison was on our visit, it was nice for us too to get a little taste of the warm sun). Beyond the yard is the Railway Track - a section used to train prisoners to lay track, a potential for rehabilitation and a career after their sentence was up. From here you're free to explore, grab a bite to eat in the central Restaurant or make your way back through C wing and into the museum, gift shop and exits - there is a good amount to see and do even on the self-guided tour, but if you are after more you are in luck...

So on our more impromptu visit, we were really just looking to take our time and see the prison at our own pace, which the self-guided tour is perfect for, but the map lists a range of options for all tastes, including some quite interesting events and activities. The Ghost Tour is perhaps the most exciting guided tour option, comprising an evening tour of the prison, which descends down into the Georgian section of the prison - cramped tunnels where all prisons were left to rot in total darkness. After this you return to A wing for a 5-minute in-cell experience, getting a real taste of prison life at night. All the while being regaled with stories of all the spectres who have haunted the prison throughout its active years (and beyond, naturally). Beyond the tours is the brilliant sounding list of activities, including escape rooms and prison breaks, the option to spend a night behind bars and even an "iCombat Laser Tag" event where you get to have a shootout in prison. The list goes on, and it is really impressive how well utilised the prison is in terms of events beyond just the informative tour side of things, and there are definitely events on that list I would like to check out in the future.

Shrewsbury Prison has a long history, established in 1793 with the original structure constructed by Thomas Telford, it was constructed over the top of the original Georgian prison. It is nicknamed "The Dana" after Rev Edmund Dana, Vicar of Wroxeter, who reworked the pathways and roads that encircle the prison that also shares his name. John Howard, a prison reformer, had influence over the design of the prison which Telford took into account, and a bust of Howard sits above the gatehouse. The prison was a place of public executions up until the last one in 1863, after which executions were a more private affair - In the 20th century up to the abolishment of the death penalty, 7 people were executed at the prison, all on murder charges. The prison saw multiple stages of redevelopment and modernisation and would operate as an Adult Male Category B/C prison (Closed Prison for low to moderate-risk inmates), but would close in 2013 along with six other prisons in England with an aim to replace "old and uneconomic" prisons with a super-prison. Other prisons retired included Bullwood Hall in Essex, Canterbury, Gloucester, Kingston in Portsmouth, Camp Hill on the Isle of Wight and Shepton Mallet, which was the oldest operating prison at the time. Shrewsbury had around 300 inmates at the time of its closure, as well as 189 staff, the last of the inmates were relocated on the 27th of February, 2013.

Shrewsbury Prison was a great day out, one I recommend for all ages and all walks of life because it gives such an interesting perspective on an aspect of life I hope many will never experience in earnest. Not just enough to scare someone away from ever wanting to end up in such a place, it is an opportunity to develop a bit of empathy for the life prisoners face - it is a bleak existence, and only gets bleaker the further you look back, and while I am not one to make any arguments in either direction as to how prisoners should be treated it is certainly a difficult decision on how to handle those who break the law. It is unquestionably different to anything I have really seen or done before, and I am sure the prison tour will stick with me for quite some time. Those visiting Shrewsbury for a day out can make the most of the town itself, with its stunning castle and all the great food and shopping options. Beyond the limits of the town you are just a short hop away from the Shropshire Hills and all of its beauty, plus some favourites around the area like Attingham Park - the potential for a grand day out is impressive, and you can really pair the prison with many great and varied options for all tastes. Of course, if the prison itself is enough of an adventure then absolutely enjoy it, stay as long as you want but don't stick around too late - you wouldn't want to get locked in...

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Self-Guided Tour

Explore at your own pace.....

If you’re looking for a day out with a difference, you’re in the right place. Explore the whole prison at your leisure, take photos and CELLfies as you soak up the atmosphere of this amazing Victorian prison. An ideal day out for families with young children who would like to investigate at their own pace.

You will be given a visitor guide and map, as you explore around the prison use the sound boxes to learn the facts and history of the prison. The information boards add a fascinating background detail to your visit with staff always available to point you in the right direction and answer any questions you may have.

Tickets & Entry

Visitors can visit at any time between 10am and 5pm, 7 days a week.

Tickets are valid for entry from 10am – 4pm 

• Wrap up warm its cold in the prison
• There is no time limit on Self Guided tour, you can wander the prison until closing time.
• Children are allowed on all tours 
• Shrewsbury Prison restaurant is open 10am - 5pm
• We regret we are unable to provide wheelchair access

Ticket options

• Self-Guided Tour - Adult Self-Guided Tour - Adult £15.00 0 30 max
• Self-Guided Tour - Child Self-Guided Tour - Child £10.00 0 30 max
• Self-Guided Tour - Senior Self-Guided Tour - Senior £13.00 0 30 max
• Self-Guided Tour - Student Self-Guided Tour - Student £13.00 0 30 max
• Self-Guided Tour - Disabled Self-Guided Tour - Disabled £13.00 0 30 max
• Self-Guided Tour - Blue Light Card Self-Guided Tour - Blue Light Card £13.00 0 30 max

Ticket covers 2 adults and 2 children

Ticket covers 2 adults and 3 children

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Visiting Time At Shrewsbury Prison.

What happens when you take one of the oldest prisons in the UK, turn it into a living museum, throw in some tours from ex prison guards and let tourists see what life in prison was actually like amongst the ghosts and memories of those who once dwelled there? You get an epic UK day out in the form of the awesome Shrewsbury Prison in Shropshire!

This is a paid article written in partnership with Shrewsbury Prison , with products or services supplied by them. Full editorial integrity is maintained at all times. The views and opinions expressed are entirely the authors own based on personal experiences when travelling and are honest and factual without any bias.

Normally most people would be fighting tooth and nail to escape their life behind bars, but Shrewsbury Prison has visitors queuing up to get in and do their time for the chance of an epic day out! I spent the day here as part of a UK staycation in Shropshire, and my day out at this former jail will stick with me for a long time, and for more reasons than I imagined.

Shrewsbury’s historic Grade II listed prison – often referred to as the Dana after the site of a nearby medieval gaol – was already one of the most iconic buildings in the city and had held a dominant position over the landscape since 1868 where it served as one of her Majesty’s prisons. But having being closed down in 2013 by the Ministry of Justice and threatened with the looming menace of being turned into homes, offices and even student accomodation, that long history and proud heritage was almost lost forever. This historic building was almost turned into nothing more than a facade for overpriced apartments and the impact that the building had on Shrewsbury’s history and culture was almost thrown away just so some corporate lawyers could stick a few desks and a conference room in there. That was however before it gained a last minute reprieve from the Gallows of urban development by those who saw its potential in the tourism industry and who wanted to keep that heritage alive. Shrewsbury Prison has now been rescued and given a new lease of life as a truly epic tourist attraction and a well deserved highlight on any list of top UK days out, saving not just the building itself but the heritage and history that went along with. This is exactly why I have always said tourism can have such a positive impact beyond providing the economy with a revenue stream and is exactly why I love attractions like this.

Shrewsbury Prison was built in 1793 to replace the county gaol by the famous civil engineer Thomas Telford. After the famous prison reformer John Howard visited Telford and requested some design changes, Shrewsbury Prison became one of the first prisons in the UK to be built to the new, more sanitary and relatively humane conditions that came out of the 1774 Gaol act. This reformer had such an impact in the area the street the prison now sits on is named after him. The current building was a later addition that was constructed in 1877, not long after the train station which it now sits alongside, and it was listed as a Grade II protected building by Historic England in 1969, largely due to its remaining architectural quality and level of intact survival, despite many later additions and alterations.

Without the tourism industry this history and heritage would have been lost forever and it makes me happy knowing that the new custodians of the historic building can use the money from tourism to keep it alive. This is the exact type of impact the tourism industry can and should be having, and by supporting it, your tourism money can go so much further than just giving you a great day out. This is exactly why I recommend that everyone visiting Shrewsbury should spend at least a day here!

There are various ways in which you can enjoy your day at the prison. You can choose to book a guided tour, or you can choose to explore the prison at your leisure on a self guided tour, and honestly I wholeheartedly recommend both for slightly different reasons. I definitely recommend spending at least a little time wandering around on your own and just soaking it all in. The prison is well signposted and along with the tour map it is easy to find your way around. Even if you do take a guided tour, you should definitely arrive early or hang back afterwards and spend the full day here to give yourself some extra time to explore. Being alone with your thoughts while contemplating your surroundings in this historic prison is a unique and humbling experience, especially knowing that it was still a working prison up until very recently.

It is the guided tours however that really give a deeper understanding to your visit. Normally in my experience guided tours are hit and miss, dependent almost entirely on the person giving the tour and very often worth skipping, but not here. This is one time where I – an avowed and unashamed independent traveller – absolutely endorse and urge everyone to take one of the tours when they visit. The tours are led by ex prison officers who not only have a deep knowledge of the facts and history of the prison but also have a vast wealth of personal experience here and they all provide a context that you simply can’t get when wondering around alone.

The Guided Tour.

We started off the tour exactly where the prisoners would have as they were brought into the prison and processed, and our guide, Officer Wilkinson, explained the often difficult procedures of assessing all of their health and social needs along with a healthy dose of anecdotal stories, and as an ex nurse myself I can certainly appreciate the dark humour of tales of finding things shoved up orrifices that they have no business being in! But I loved the fact that there was no sugarcoating or romantacisation of the process at all. These were real people and real lives we were talking about and although there was a lot of humourous and educational aspects to the tour it was nice to see that it was also done in an extremely respectful way.

Leading us through to A Wing, our guide kept us constantly entertained with stories of his own time there as well as explaining what the day to day life was like for the guards as well as the prisoners, and it was shocking to hear just how outnumbered they were on any given shift. Stepping inside one of the cells is a genuinely sobering experience too, as I have to admit I have been guilty in the past of thinking that prisoners in the UK have it easy in glorified country clubs, sitting in nice little rooms with a flatscreen TV and an Xbox having an easy life of it.

Trust me if you have ever had similar thoughts, after having that cell door slammed behind you and seeing just how claustrophobically small those cells are, especially with overcrowding, you won’t think like that anymore.

This really is a fascinating glimpse into a part of society that most people never see, often never even want to see and quite often barely understand. It is a bit of a sobering journey that may make you question your own long held beliefs and paradigms, especially when hearing the opinions on crime and punishment from an ex officer with time served.

It isn’t all doom and gloom and serious introspection though, while you are on the tour ask exactly why they had the heavy perspex door installed in front of the strip cell where the most violent prisoners were held to calm them down! You’ll either be disgusted by the answer or get a good hearty laugh out of it depending on your sense of humour!

The guided tour led us up through the numerous floors of A wing, including a section which held the gaming tables where inmates would spend their free time outside of their cells. And in an interesting little turn some of these cells had also been used as film and TV sets, including for the King and I, various soaps and dramas and of course the obligatory Most Haunted series. Plenty of room for a work experience boy to throw a plastic mug off camera so everyone can scream on cue!

The tour itself, partly due to the content and partly due to the skill of our guide, never felt like an actual tour. It felt more like an interesting conversation with someone who really knew his profession well and loved talking about it and honestly, the time flew! The stories of modern prison life didn’t just entertain us, they make us think, and that is the mark of a truly great tour.

But eventually, after a few more tales of infamous prisoners and anecdotes about a particularly well known Liverpudlian (which I don’t think was aimed at me) the tour moved further back in time to look at prison life during the Victorian era and we were led to C Wing.

C wing was initially used for female prisoners to keep them seperate from the men. This was for me one of the parts of the tour that actually hit pretty hard. A lot harder than I thought it would have done. There was only room for 43 prisoners here compared to the much larger population of men in A wing, and the wing is single sided so that prisoners couldn’t converse with anyone on the other side of the cell. At first the women here seemed to have things a little bit better than the men did, with a few extra inches of space per cell, prime real estate in a cramped prison, until of course we were told the reason why this was and was shown the educational display in one of the cells.

Women weren’t just given a bit of extra space for their extra bottles of shampoo (as our guide joked, I don’t want any hate comments), they were often imprisoned here alongside their babies and children, and the extra room was for the cots. I don’t know why but that knowledge just hit me a little harder than anything else I had seen or heard so far.

The next stop though was one of the most fascinating and morbid parts of the tour altogether as we walked up the metal stairway that led us out of C Wing and into the executioners room.

Executions have been held at the prison since 1795 when John Smith was first sentenced to death by hanging for having it away with a bunch of cotton handkerchiefs! Not the best reason to lose your life over is it? I mean if you were going to get your neck stretched for something it may as well be for something a lot better than a few hankies! But since then dozens of prisoners have met the same fate at the end of a rope, watched by huge crowds drawn by the macabre show. When public executions grew to be regarded as distastful – not to mention impractical once the crowds started getting too big – the executions moved inside the prison walls and between 1902 and 1961, a total of 7 people were executed by hanging in the room we were shown into.

Now the United Kingdom has not had capital punishment in my lifetime, and that fact alone makes it very easy to forget sometimes that hanging wasn’t just something that was done back in the days of medieval knights and castles, this was very recent history, within a century, and there are people still alive today who remember this as a form of punishment.

The tour group I was with did have a family with children on it too, and Officer Wilkinson very subtly – and kindly – gauged if everyone was okay with actually going inside the room. Obviously some people would naturally find it a little upsetting, and the offer was made to stay in the adjacent room instead if anyone chose to do so. That level of care and appreciation, not to mention self awareness, toward visitors was nice to see and although no one took him up on the offer it was easy to see that it was still very much appreciated. Although I think there may have been a little dig at ghost hunters there as he joked that any strange vibrations are just from the adjacent train station so not to worry!

It was also nice to see that like the rest of the prison, great care had been taken to balance the tourism aspect with as much respect as possible, and a wooden frame had been built around the area where the actual hangings once took place with a diorama inside. This gave a much more significant museum quality and educational emphasis to the display in an effort to allow people to see and learn about what took place there without the temptation of putting a picture of themselves in a hangmans noose up on Instagram!

Dark Tourism.

Now I get it, a prison tour may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The topics of hanging, capital punishment or even prison incarceration itself are often not easy or pleasant. I can understand that. Former prisons, especially ones that have been open up until relatively recently, may not be your first choice when it comes to things to do on your travels or where you may choose to spend a day out, and many people do worry about visiting sites associated with death or suffering, otherwise known as dark tourism. Some may be sensitive to the subject matter, others may think it is exploitative or unethical but whatever your reason let me put your mind at ease and tell you exactly why these concerns are unfounded at Shrewsbury Prison and why it should be on the top of your list for a day out.

Dark tourism is usually defined as visiting a site that is associated with death and suffering, and has an erroneous connotation with being a little ghoulish, but it really is not that simple. The reasons people want to visit sites like former prisons can be as varied as the individuals themselves and aren’t always macabre. In fact the reasons people often want to visit places like former prisons are quite often closely intertwined with education, heritage or history tourism as the sites asscociated with the darker events themselves have significant historical or cultural interest. Auschwitz and Alcatraz are two famous examples of this, and this is exactly where Shrewsbury Prison comes in.

Now I am the first to admit there are absolutely bad examples of dark tourism out there, or more accurately and more often than not tourists behaving badly at dark tourism sites, and there is certainly an innappropriate element of dark tourisms more annoying sibling disaster tourism , where tourists arrive almost immediately after a disaster out of a ghoulish and morbid curiosity, but that does not mean all dark tourism is automatically bad, quite the opposite in fact.

Shrewsbury Prison was reopened as a tourist attraction to try and keep the history and heritage of the site alive. The prison, for good and bad, has had a profound impact on the history of Shrewsbury since it was built and for that to be lost forever would absolutely be a crime. Tourism gives people a chance to learn about that history, to educate themselves about the prisons past and it’s impact on Shrewsbury both historically and culturally. It makes people think, gives them a glimpse into a side of society that is often – some would say too often – hidden away. That focus on education and respect for that individual site based on its own unique history and considerations is absolutely paramount at Shrewsbury Prison.

For many travellers and tourists dark tourism like this also gives them the opportunity to have an emotional connection to a place and time, to reflect on and gain an understanding of a period of history or even try to understand some of the horrors of the past. This is certainly true in attractions and sites such as Auschwitiz or WWII battle sites. Shrewsbury Prison is no different in this regard, and it does not take this responsibility lightly.

Given its past, and given its focus now on the educational and heritage aspects of tourism, whilst Shrewsbury Prison may fall under the dark tourism banner it is not fair to simply dismiss it under negative aspects of that. Shrewsbury Prison has made such a point of being an educational, ethical, responsible and heritage focused attraction it really shouldn’t surprise anyone that it was awarded a place in the top 10 Dark Tourism sites in the UK according to the BBC .

But the tourism aspect isn’t just about heritage and education, visitors and families also come here to have fun, to enjoy themselves, and there is nothing wrong with that either.

Prison Breaks, Axes and Ghosts, Oh My.

I had an amazing day out at Shrewsbury Prison, but I was genuinely enjoying myself so much that time just went way too fast and this is why one day just isn’t enough to see and do everything here. I do want to come back and do a historical tour of the Georgian tunnels underneath the Victorian era prison, but I really want to come back and do one of the overnight ghost tours! Given the prisons history it has been a regular haunt (sorry) of the popular TV series Most Haunted, and the tour gives you the option to recreate your own paranormal investigation and the chance to spot your very own spirit! No prizes are given for digging out your 1987 proton pack and slapping a Venkman sticker on an old boiler suit, but you definitely get extra cool points!

What I really want to do though is the Prison Break! A two and a half hour escape game where you can actually attempt to break out of a real prison! With real cells, real officers trying to hinder you and a real race in time to solve the puzzles and break out, who can resist that? This is possibly one of the most genious escape room attractions I have ever seen! I can’t wait to go back and see if they can handle a scouser giving it a go!

You see what I mean about a day not being enough?

Along with axe throwing, which I am a dab hand at if I do say so myself, and not to mention various individual escape rooms, there are a lot of activities here to make it a fun day, or night, out for anyone, and none of them feel like they are stepping on the toes of the serious educational and heritage focused work the prison is doing. In fact they feel like they supplement that work extremely well and it is important to remember that this side of the tourism industry is often what pays for the upkeep of that heritage. This is the positive impact tourism can have.

A Balancing Act.

Now there is valid criticism to say that no attraction associated with dark tourism should have any fun aspects at all, and in some circumstances and for some attractions that would be entirely appropriate, but not here. The dark tourism spectrum runs on a sliding scale of a focus on heritage and education where it is needed and fun, touristy aspects where it is not, and the rights and wrongs of visiting places associated with suffering or death can often depend on where on the dark tourism spectrum the attraction lies.

Shrewsbury Prison navigates that spectrum extremely well and balances the educational and informative side of tourism with the lighter, more fun and commercial aspects. Where respect is needed, where real lives and cases or sensitive issues are being talked about on the tours, that consideration and respect is given in spades, but where it is just a case of tourists lobbing an axe at a target or solving a few puzzles in specifically designated areas, tourists are allowed to have fun. And as I said it is those commercial aspects which allow the heritage and the education to survive, it is the tourism money the more fun aspects of the visit brings in that allows this former prison to remain as an open, living museum for future generations to enjoy.

Spend just a few minutes talking to the staff here, especially the former officers, and you will see this is not just a job to them, this is a true passion. Shrewsbury Prison is a place that means a lot to them in many different ways and preserving its heritage for them as individuals, for the local community and for prosperity is the driving force behind what they are doing. That is exactly why tourism here is so important, and why everyone taing a staycation in Shropshire or visiting the UK from further afield should make a point of visiting Shrewsbury Prison.

Did you enjoy this article? What do you think about disaster tourism, does it have a place? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below or on my  Facebook  or  Twitter  pages and please feel free to share it with any or all of the social media buttons. If you want to get more great backpacking tips, advice and inspiration, please subscribe to updates via email in the box to your right.

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Michael Huxley is a published author, professional adventurer and founder of the travel website, Bemused Backpacker. He has spent the last twenty years travelling to over 100 countries on almost every continent, slowly building Bemused Backpacker into a successful business after leaving a former career in emergency nursing and travel medicine, and continues to travel the world on numerous adventures every year.

14 comments on “ Visiting Time At Shrewsbury Prison. ”

What an amazing idea to do ghost tours in a Jail!

It really is!

Sounds like a great day out!

I’ve been checking them out on your recommendation, definitely want to do one of their ghost hunting tours at Haloween! How amazing would that be?

I want to do that too! I’m Venkman!

Never heard of a prison being a tourist attraction before. Isn’t that a little wierd? Disrespectful even?

Alcatraz? And no, it is no more disrespectful than someone studying criminology or criminal justice. The educational aspects are paramount, as are the cultural aspects of the tour, and the greatest respect is shown when the tour delves into the real lives aspect of prison life or topics like capital punishment.

Touche. I never thought about it like that. I may look into it.

Some really good points. I live near Shrewsbury and have put off going, its not as if there aren’t other choices, but may have to check it out.

Looks great for a Haloween party! Need to get planning!

It would be amazing at Halloween, especially on one of their ghost tours!

I wanted to visit here recently but they were shut down for filming or something. 😦

Yeah they were using it as a set for some big Hollywood film. I’m sure it will be open again for visitors soon.

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Summer Breakout at Shrewsbury Prison

Home  /  News  /  Summer Breakout at Shrewsbury Prison

Visit Shrewsbury Prison this Summer and get 23% OFF Tours & Activities.

The summer holidays have arrived, and Shrewsbury Prison brings the biggest, most extensive offering yet! Designed to entertain the kids without having to feel the pinch.

Shrewsbury Prison launches ‘Summer Breakout’ offering 3 exclusive discounts and 3 added benefits during your visits. Running across all tours, activities, and events, during the 6-week summer holidays from 22nd July – 3rd September. If you are looking for an experience to remember at great value, then stick around to find out more…

Join the Prison Puzzle Challenge, with a chance to WIN 50% off Tours & Activities.

From 17th – 21st July we will be challenging your observation skills as we share a post a day exclusively on our Facebook. Hidden within each post is a secret code available to 10 winners each day. Solve the puzzle, find the code, and WIN 50% off. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Make sure you are following us to avoid missing out.

All teachers can receive 30% Off Tours & Activities. Teachers can receive a 30% off discount code by contacting Shrewsbury Prison on [email protected] to confirm their email, name and school of work. We’ll then provide you with a unique discount code.

23% OFF FOR EVERYONE – Make the most of our 23% Off Discount, available to ALL visitors on Tours, Activities and our Prison Break events.

Bring the prison to life on a Guided Tour with one of our Prison Officer tour guides. Or take a Self-Guided Tour offering visitors the time to explore and discover at their own leisure with plenty of information points throughout the site and CELLfie opportunities to have ‘mugshots’ taken.

Or for the more adventures take part in our state-of-the-art escape rooms, with two themes to choose form.

Still want more adventure? Take part in Prison Break the World’s Largest Escape Game and the ultimate escape from a real prison.

Not afraid of the dark? Learn about the dark and paranormal history from the 6th Dark Tourism Attraction in the World on one of our Ghost Tours.

And the benefits don’t stop there,

ALL successful escapees from Escape Rooms or Prison Break events will receive a FREE Drinks Voucher, which can be used in the restaurant in exchange for a standard hot drink or bottle of water.

Diesel Tasters…yes, you read that right! ‘Diesel’ is a very strongly brewed, sweet vat of tea commonly served to all prisoners within a jail. Visitors will be able to try our Diesel Tasters in the prison restaurant.

And last but certainly not least; complete our immersive and challenging Activity Booklets, designed to offer a real insight into the life of a prisoner, including facts and history about prison whilst creating a fun, competitive challenge for all ages.

https://www.shrewsburyprison.com/summer-breakout-2023/

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What’s On in April at Luke’s Cafe Wine Bar

Winter sunrise from the Wrekin ❤️ Brilliant 🎥 IG / @wander.where.aby.went

Embark on a journey through Ludlow`s enchanting streets on a sunny Saturday market day! 🌞✨ Witness the lively atmosphere as local traders bring colors and flavors to the scene. Explore quaint independent shops, bask in the aromatic charm of cafes, and savor culinary delights at local restaurants. Ludlow`s picturesque streets are a canvas of culture waiting to be explored! 🛍️🍽️ Brilliant 🎥 IG @letsgoludlow

🌸✨ Mark your calendars for a bloomin` good time at Frankly Alpacas – it`s Springtime Fun on the Farm! 🦙💐 Join Frankly Alpacas Monday 12th - Sunday 18th and Monday 25th of March - Sunday 7th of April for an unforgettable experience with alpacas, lambs, and adorable Dexter cows. Get up close and personal with these furry friends through farm tours and hands-on encounters. It`s a day filled with smiles, laughter, and the joy of Spring in the air. Don`t miss out on this farmtastic adventure! Check all the details and secure your spot! @frankly_alpacas #visitshropshire #familyfun #shropshire #thingstodo

"🏰✨ Dive into the heart of Shrewsbury`s Castle Quarter – the epicenter of history and grandeur! 🏰 Home to four of the town`s largest historic treasures – Shrewsbury Castle, Library, Prison, and Train Station. Did you know Shrewsbury Castle`s foundations were laid in 1083 by the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery? Montgomery, a cousin of William the Conqueror, earned this castle and more as a thank-you for his aid during the Norman conquest. From royal stronghold to a 16th-century transformation, Shrewsbury Castle has quite the story. Now, it stands majestically, housing the Shropshire Regimental Museum. 👑🏰 Ready to step into the pages of history? #visitshropshire #shrewsburycastle #historic #shrewsbury #thingstodo #shropshire

Embark on an extraordinary half-term adventure at the enchanting Hawkstone Park Follies! 🌲✨ This hidden gem invites you to explore a sprawling landscape filled with magical surprises. Hawskstone Park Follies are offering 50% off general admission from February 9th to 18th, making it the perfect opportunity to uncover the mysteries that await. Set in 100 acres of Parkland The Follies is a range of dramatic and rugged natural sandstone hills that were developed to include gullies, caves, towers and bridges, becoming one of the most visited landscapes in Britain during the 19th Century. However, throughout the 20th Century this romantic landscape became forgotten, overgrown and ruinous, unvisited by all but the locals. Now recognised as a Masterpiece of the School of Naturalistic Landscape and designated as a Grade I listed landscape by English Heritage, this magical and exhilarating landscape had a new lease of life with a multi-million pound restoration project enabling it to reopen to visitors in 1993. Overgrown but never fully forgotten, pathways were cleared, gullies reopened and handrails reinstalled to allow visitors to enjoy the spectacular views and surprises that The Follies reveals around every corner. Friends of the Follies can also enjoy special annual pass upgrade offers available at the gate, ensuring that the magic doesn`t end after one visit! Ready for an immersive experience where you can adventure, explore, and discover? Secure your spot now at @hawkstoneparkfollies #visitshropshire #hawkstoneparkfollies #shropshire #halfterm #thingstodo

🌲✨ Join The Gruffalo on a birthday adventure at Haughmond Hill! 🎉🎈 Celebrating 25 years of magical tales, Forestry England presents a brand new family trail for an unforgettable experience in the deep dark woods. Follow the path from the visitor car park, embark on a quest to find party items, and help choose the perfect present for the Gruffalo. 🐭🎁 Enjoy fun, games, and discover the wonders of forest life along the way. Don`t forget your activity pack for just £4 at Haughmond Hill Café—it`s packed with party-ready surprises! 🎂🌳 Warm up, bundle up, and make this winter a Gruffalo birthday celebration to remember! ❄️ @haughmondhillfc #visitshropshire #halfterm #halftermfun #shropshire #haughmondhill #shrewsbury

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Visit Shrewsbury, The Best Things To See, & What To Do

Shrewsbury is a nice and easy day trip from Birmingham and other places in the West Midlands. There are lots of things to see and do, including visiting a castle, an abbey, a prison, glorious gardens and other historical buildings. I really enjoyed my day trips to Shrewsbury to see the major tourist attractions.

Shrewsbury in the main is a historic and town with loads of grand architecture to see. The major shopping areas are a treat too. If you look up above the branded storefronts, the history lies there. One of the unique parts of the town was observing people in capes, witches’ hats and other attire relating to witchcraft. This was strange but trumped by the people in the crow’s masks, then a few in the plague doctors’ masks. A fascinating place that was fun overall and full of surprises.

About Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is a large market town and is the county town of Shropshire in England. The town is on the River Severn, a prominent feature of the city. Shrewsbury town centre has an unspoilt medieval street plan and subsequently has over 660 listed buildings. These listed buildings include examples of timber framing from the 15th and 16th centuries.

Other highlights of the market town include; Shrewsbury Castle and Shrewsbury Abbey. The town is also the birthplace of Charles Darwin and he also spent 27 years of his life in the town. Thus, he is featured in a variety of places in the town, including a nice statue.

Things to See and do in Shrewsbury

There are loads of historical tourist attractions in Shrewsbury, and an enjoyable walk along the river. The list below are the places I saw or visited.

Disclosure! Keep in mind that some links in these posts are affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may earn a small commission (for which I’m extremely grateful) at no extra cost to you. Thanks for visiting!

Visit Shrewsbury Castle a Historic Tourist Attraction

Shrewsbury Castle is a prominent feature of the city and the first thing visitors see when arriving by train. They built the castle with red sandstone and it’s on a hill overlooking the river. The castle’s history dates back to 1067 when William the Conqueror ordered its construction. William expected to use it as a defensive fortification and base of operations for forays into Wales.

Currently, the castle is a tourist attraction where visitors can explore the castle grounds or visit the museum. The castle is home to the Shropshire Regimental Museum, which most of the exhibits show. This museum is rather fascinating and has many uniforms, weapons and medals relating to the regiment.

In the basement, the exhibit is about the history of the castle. This is rather informative. The grounds are very popular with artists who paint from various points in the complex. I enjoyed this visit.

Visit Shrewsbury Abbey

Also known as The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Shrewsbury Abbey is an ancient foundation in Shrewsbury. They founded the Abbey in 1083 as a Benedictine monastery. The Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery, was the founder of the Abbey.

It subsequently grew to become one of the most important abbeys in England. Shrewsbury Abbey is a Grade I listed building surrounded by the Abbey Foregate. The abbey is quite striking and has a nice churchyard with graves and memorials to peruse.

Much of the original Norman 11th century building survives in the present building and it is delightful. It is open for visitors to have a look around the exterior building at all times of the day. To visit the abbey, their opening hours are between 10 am and 3 pm typically.

Stroll through Abbey Gardens

Between the Abbey and the River Severn are Abbey gardens. Abbey Gardens is a lovely place for a walk or to sit down and enjoy the park with river views. The garden has many ornate features and is a haven for wildlife, including kingfishers that call it home.

See The Train Station

In most places, the train station is pretty bland, but Shrewsbury Railway station is pretty special and pleasing on the eye. They built it in 1848 and is now a grade II listed building and has some interesting features, including a prominent clock tower. The building style is imitation Tudor, that come complete with carvings of Tudor style heads around the window frames. The station is best viewed up-close or from Dana Walk alongside the castle walls.

See the Statue of Charles Darwin at the Library

The Charles Darwin statue is located out the front of the library building. They built the statue to honour the scientist in 1897. Charles Darwin was best known for his work “On The Origin of The Species” and his theory of evolution. He was born in the town and lived in Shrewsbury for many years.

The original timber-framed library building started was originally a school. They added stone buildings from 1594 to 160 into the special complex it is now. After the school moved, the buildings became the library. The library is a grade I listed building and very interesting to look at. You can join the Darwin Trail here and find out about the famous biologist and how he lived.

Explore The Quarry

This is an extensive park on the banks of the river with some excellent landscaped gardens and The Dingle, a botanical park. The Quarry has a bandstand, a nice gatehouse and statues including one of Hercules. People have used this site for recreational activities in Shrewsbury since the 16th century and still going strong today.

See The Dingle, a Stunning Garden

This is a must-see for garden lovers: it is absolutely gorgeous, particularly in the autumn months. The Dingle is a floral masterpiece, cultivated by world-renowned gardener Percy Thrower. It is a sunken landscaped garden with alpine borders, brilliant bedding plants and shrubbery.

It has charming water features and a long pond through the centre. The colours are vibrant and the features are very eye-pleasing.

Churches to See

There are lots of churches in Shrewsbury, and the spires make the skyline of the town distinctive. The spires are also a great navigation aid in the historic narrow streets. Many of these have histories dating back over 1000 years. There is one cathedral, one impressive abbey, and a variety of churches in the central areas of town.

Thus Shrewsbury is a great place to visit for those interested in Christianity, history or religious architecture. There was some fantastic religious architecture in Shrewsbury to admire and also to have a look around.

Cathedral Church of our Lady

Known as Shrewsbury Cathedral , the Cathedral Church of Our Lady overlooks the horseshoe bend of the river and the tennis club below. They completed the building in 1856, as this is not an old cathedral compare to many others. However, it is a grade II listed building and its denomination is Roman Catholic.

Church of St Mary the Virgin

They built the Church of St Mary the Virgin or St Mary’s in the gothic style and its renowned for its elaborate details. They made the church from both red and white stone. The church has some unique stained-glass windows. St Mary’s Church is a redundant Anglican church, it is a Grade I listed building.

One highlight of the visit is to see the Jesse Window, a splendid and historical stained glass window. The Jesse window had a nice display in the front, including some period costumes and information boards.

St Mary’s Church is a redundant Anglican church in the town. They have recorded it as a Grade I listed building. The Churches Conservation Trust manages the site. It was their first Conservation Church back in 2015. This is the largest church in Shrewsbury and equally impressive.

St Alkmunds Church

The intriguingly named St Alkmunds Church is over 1100 years old. They founded it in the year 900. They built the church to stand at the highest point in the town. In the early days, there was a Saxon market in the area surrounding St Alkmunds.

The current church building is part mediaeval and part Georgian. The tower and spire, which is 56 metres high, they built it in 1475 in the Perpendicular style. It is great to look at and is a very dominant part of the skyline of the city.

St Chad’s Church

Since medieval times, there has been a local church dedicated to St. Chad, who was the first bishop of Mercia. The building has some fascinating architectural history, including Thomas Telford predicting the building collapsing. In 1788, the original building in fact collapsed, as predicted.

The replacement church is fascinating in design and is big. It can house up to 1200 people. They baptised Charles Darwin here back in 1809. The church is distinctive because of its circular nave and tower with the cross at the top. This church very much reminded me of some of the architecture in Dresden .

St Julian’s Church

Near to St Alkmunds is the pretty St Julian’s Church . They built this on the foundations of an old Saxon church. Only the 12th Century Tower remains of its medieval origins. They rebuilt the nave in the 1770s. This church is distinctive in the way they build it from both red and white sandstone. This is open for visitors on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays.

United Reformed Church

Near to the English Bridge is unique in appearance United Reformed Church that dates back to 1863. The United Reformed Church is a 19th-century nonconformist chapel, which is also a Grade II listed building. Its unique appearance is down to the stones they built it with, white ashlar mainly stone with red sandstone bands with a welsh slate roof. The building is very eye-pleasing and one of the lesser-known churches in Shrewsbury.

Walk Along The River Seven

One of the most geographically dominant features of the town is the River Severn, that nearly surrounds Shrewsbury. The Horseshoe route of the river marks the boundary of the town centre, including the tourist attractions.

The River has road and footbridges to cross at various points, including the famous Welsh and English bridges. Its banks are a great place to have a walk along the river, this includes passing many parks and some magnificent views of the historical town.

See The English Bridge

Located to the East of the town centre on the way to the Abbey is The English Bridge. The English Bridge is a masonry arch viaduct, and a is a Grade II* listed building. They rebuilt it in 1926 using the original masonry of the original one from 1774, Queen Mary officially opened the bridge in 1927.

A bridge has been at this spot since Norman times, historically they knew this bridge as the “Stone Bridge”. This is a brilliant spot to view the river up and downstream, including at sunrise .

See The Welsh Bridge & Do a Boat Trip

Located to the West of the town centre is The Welsh Bridge, also a masonry arch viaduct and is a Grade II* listed building. They built the bridge between 1793 to 1795; it replaced the medieval St George’s Bridge. The bridge is a nice place to sit and watch those taking part in rowing and watersports on the river.

This is near some fantastic restaurants on the waterfront, including Hickory’s a smokehouse. Boat trips on The Sabrina leave from near to the Welsh Bridge on the hour. The Sabrina is a triple deck, modern passenger boat. It can carry 60 passengers in comfort. The boat has a retractable roof and sides on the top deck.

Visit The Old Market Hall

The Old Market Hall is in Shrewsbury square right in the centre of town. They repurposed of late to use as an independent cinema in the historic hall. The cinema screens the latest release movies, it also has a cool vaulted cafe-bar.

Historically, the Corporation of Shrewsbury built The Old Market Hall or Market House in 1596 and is one of the town’s nicest buildings. There were market buildings at the site before this building, some dating back as far as 1260.

Buy Local Produce at The Farmers Market

Every Friday near the Old Market Hall is Shrewsbury Farmers Market, where you can purchase local produce. The stalls are fantastic and sell a range of locally grown or produced food from wine to honey. The wine stall was rather good, with the proprietor giving out samples of wines from the West Midlands region.

Drapers Hall

Another pleasant building to see when sightseeing in the medieval town of Shrewsbury is Drapers Hall. This is a black and white timber-framed building that has been a meeting place for the town’s drapers since 1485. They built the current building, the guildhall, between 1576 & 1580.

The company was prosperous in the Welsh cloth trade and was an important part of the town from the 1500s until 1700. Nowadays Drapers Hall is a hotel and restaurant. In the restaurant, you can still see the original oak furniture from the 17th century.

Go Shopping

Shrewsbury has a range of chain and independent shops in most genres so you can purchase most things in town. One of the unique parts of shopping here is above the branded shop fronts the buildings go back into history. The fascias of the upper floors of the shops are fascinating to look at.

Go to the Town Wall Tower

This is a 14th-century stone watchtower, which was part of the town’s walls, one of the few surviving parts of the wall in fact. King Henry III built the wall to protect Shrewsbury from Wales. This tower owned by the National Trust is open on limited days throughout the year. Sadly, I was out of luck seeing the interior by it is interesting from the outside and the views must have been a great early warning from invasions.

See The Gateway House

Both The Gateway House and the Council House are both hidden away on the left, going uphill from the castle. These both have a blue badge and are very interesting to look at. A YouTube clip highlighted these for me before visiting, otherwise I would have missed altogether.

The timber-framed gateway built in about 1610 was the entrance to the 16th-century council house. King Charles 1st stayed at the property in 1642, the year the English Civil War started.

Visit Shrewsbury Prison a Popular Attraction

I only got to visit the gates of Shrewsbury Prison , which is quite disappointing because of reading good things about the attraction. The prison does a few types of tours, including a ghost tour .

HM Prison Shrewsbury was a Category B/C men’s prison. It’s now decommissioned, however, is now open to the public. There has been a prison on the site since 1793. They built the original from the plans of Thomas Telford. They constructed the current prison building in 1877.

Castle Gates House

Another beautiful building to see is Castle Gates House, near the entrance to the castle. This is a timber-framed building painted yellow and is a grade II listed building. The house dates from the late 16th century, however its been restored singe then in 1912. An interesting fact is that this building was originally elsewhere and moved here in 1702 by the Earl of Bradford.

Hiking & Cycling

Shrewsbury is a fantastic place for hikers and walkers to visit because of it being on 2 major routes. First, it is on The Severn Way a long-distance walking path, a route that follows the whole River Severn.

For cyclists, there are many bike shops and places to cycle in the local countryside. The town is also on the Sustrans cycle route 81. The Sustrans cycle route 81 is a 118-mile long route from Aberystwyth to Wolverhampton.

Rowley’s Mansion – The First Red Brick Building in Shrewsbury

One of the best things to do in Shrewsbury is to see the variety of architecture in the town. Rowley’s House & Mansion caught my eye when exploring. William Rowley, a draper and brewer, established himself in the town. He started with the timber-framed house during the reign of Elizabeth I. Because of his success, in 1618, he built this mansion. Rowley mansion was the first red brick building built in Shrewsbury.

Watch a Rowing Regatta on the River Severn

Pengwern Rowing club practice and host regattas on the River Severn in the town. In fact, Ive raced in a few some years back. These are great for competitors or spectators to enjoy the vibe. You can find out about future regattas on the rowing club’s website. When walking the banks, you can often see boats out training.

Refreshments in Shrewsbury

On my visits I found some great places to eat or drink in the town. My favourite was Hickories for food as the barbequeu was great. I also enjoyed many of the towns historic pubs when visiting.

Getting to Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is very easy to reach from Birmingham on the train and not too costly. Trains leave New street on the hour and 25 past, throughout the day. Return tickets cost between £13 and £16, depending on the flexibility you need. The £13 ticket from the machine at the train station allows only travel on the Transport For Wales Trains on both inbound and outbound trips.

The train is the easiest and most frequent by far. National Express Coaches only have one trip per day. This leaves the Digbeth Coach station at 16:20 and costs £6.20 each way. This option is maybe better value if you are staying the night but takes 40 minutes longer.

Is Shrewsbury Worth Visiting?

Shrewsbury is a fantastic and historic town that’s well worth visiting. There are many options for things to see, including some stunning gardens, riverside walks and historic sites. The foodie scene here has some real treats, and people were friendly. It’s a great option for a day trip or a long weekend away.

2 thoughts on “Visit Shrewsbury, The Best Things To See, & What To Do”

How funny, a mate of mine grew up in this town and we recently discussed doing some stand-up paddling down the Severn, so hopefully I’ll get to see Shrewsbury soon. Will revisit your post before I do.

Wow, what a beautiful town! Shrewsbury Abbey has been on our radar for a while, but we had no idea how much more there was to see. Great post!

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• Entertainment

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

The 32-year-old was found guilty of using investors’ money to buy luxury properties and bribe officials in foreign countries.

Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday for a billion-dollar fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world’s most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.

Bankman-Fried, 32, was convicted in November of fraud and conspiracy – a dramatic fall from a year earlier when he and his companies seemed to be riding a crest of success that resulted in a Super Bowl advertisement and celebrity endorsements from stars like Tom Brady and comedian Larry David.

US District Judge Lewis A Kaplan imposed the sentence in the same Manhattan courtroom where, four months ago, Bankman-Fried testified that his intention had been to revolutionise the emerging cryptocurrency market with his innovative and altruistic ideas, not to steal.

Mr Kaplan said the sentence reflected “that there is a risk that this man will be in a position to do something very bad in the future. And it’s not a trivial risk at all”.

He added that it was “for the purpose of disabling him to the extent that can appropriately be done for a significant period of time.”

Mr Kaplan further ordered Bankman-Fried to forfeit more than 11 billion (£8.7 billion).

He also said he would advise the Federal Bureau of Prisons to send him to a medium-security prison or less near the San Francisco area because he is unlikely to be a physical threat to other inmates or prison staff, and his autism and social awkwardness would make him vulnerable to other inmates in a high-security location.

Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of 40 to 50 years.

They said: “The defendant victimised tens of thousands of people and companies, across several continents, over a period of multiple years.

“He stole money from customers who entrusted it to him, he lied to investors, he sent fabricated documents to lenders, he pumped millions of dollars in illegal donations into our political system and he bribed foreign officials.

“Each of these crimes is worthy of a lengthy sentence.”

Mr Kaplan agreed with prosecutors that Bankman-Fried should not get leniency just because some investors and customers might get some of their lost money back.

He called the argument “logically flawed” and “speculative”.

He said customers lost about 8 billion dollars (£6.3 billion), investors lost 1.7 billion dollars (£1.3 billion) and lenders were shorted by 1.3 billion dollars (£1.02 billion).

Mr Kaplan also cited three instances where he concluded that Bankman-Fried committed perjury during his trial testimony.

Given a chance to speak, Bankman-Fried stood and apologised.

He said: “A lot of people feel really let down. And they were very let down. And I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry about what happened at every stage.”

Defence lawyer Marc Mukasey said his client was misunderstood.

Mr Mukasey said: “Sam was not a ruthless financial serial killer who set out every morning to hurt people.

“Sam Bankman-Fried doesn’t make decisions with malice in his heart. He makes decisions with math in his head.”

Bankman-Fried’s attorneys, friends and family have urged leniency, saying he is unlikely to reoffend again.

They also say FTX’s investors have largely recovered their funds – a claim disputed by bankruptcy lawyers, FTX and its creditors.

“Mr Bankman-Fried continues to live a life of delusion,” wrote John Ray, the chief executive of FTX who has been cleaning up the bankrupt company.

“The business he left on November 11 2022 was neither solvent nor safe.”

Two weeks ago, Bankman-Fried’s lawyer Marc Mukasey attacked a probation office recommendation of 100 years in prison, saying a sentence of that length would be “grotesque” and “barbaric”.

“Sam is not the evil genius depicted in the media or the greedy villain described at trial,” Mr Mukasey said, calling his client a “first-time, non-violent offender”.

Bankman-Fried was worth billions of dollars on paper as the co-founder and chief executive of FTX, which was the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world at one time.

FTX allowed investors to buy dozens of virtual currencies, from Bitcoin to more obscure ones like Shiba Inu Coin.

Flush with billions of dollars of investors’ cash, Bankman-Fried took out a Super Bowl advertisement to promote his business and bought the naming rights to an arena in Miami.

But the collapse of cryptocurrency prices in 2022 took its toll on FTX, and ultimately led to its downfall.

FTX’s hedge fund affiliate, known as Alameda Research, had bought billions of dollars of various crypto investments that lost considerable amounts of value in 2022.

Bankman-Fried tried to plug the holes in Alameda’s balance sheet with FTX customer funds.

Three other people from Bankman-Fried’s inner circle pleaded guilty to related crimes and testified at his trial.

The biggest name among the three was Caroline Ellison, once the girlfriend of Bankman-Fried.

Ellison described Bankman-Fried as a calculating individual who knew that he was likely committing crimes when he directed the use of customer funds.

Two other one-time friends of Bankman-Fried: Gary Wang and Nishad Singh; also testified they felt they were directed by Bankman-Fried to commit fraud.

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Shrewsbury Prison Night Behind Bars

Home / Night Behind Bars

The Ultimate Sleepover

Night Behind Bars at Shrewsbury Prison is a 12 hour overnight stay in a prison, without the sentence! Could you handle a whole night?

Is this possible? At Shrewsbury Prison it is and we promise to let you out in the morning – good behaviour permitting, of course! This is a rare opportunity to spend 12 hours behind bars at the 6th ranked Dark Tourism site in the world - one of the UK’s most haunted jails. This event is an 18+ event only.

Event Overview

There is a whole world to explore. It is a fantastic experience for couples, groups of friends and those with an interest in the paranormal .

At 8pm you will be met by prison staff, let into the prison through the huge wooden gates and shown to your cell for the night. This is a traditional Victorian cell providing a truly authentic experience.

As part of this awesome experience, a Prison Officer will take you and your fellow inmates for a tour of the jail. You will visit, amongst other areas of the prison, two Victorian wings, a number of themed cells, the segregation unit (including the strip cell), and finish in the execution room. After the tour you are free to explore the site or, of course, retire to your cell for the next few hours. Some will choose to go ghost hunting and others to play games – the choice is yours. BUT don’t even think of escaping – you won’t have time to burrow out Shawshank Redemption style and the walls are VERY high.

Dinner Behind Bars

The original prison kitchen, now serving as a restaurant, provides hot meals and snacks. There is also a licensed bar on-site, all open ‘till 10pm.

For the night owls amongst you, the prison staff are on-site all-night checking for good behaviour and also available to answer any questions you may have.

You will be woken early in the morning (no tardiness in prison!) to the smell of fresh coffee and a hearty breakfast. We open the giant security gates at 7am when we release you back into the world with your memories of a very unusual night. And, we are confident, many tales to tell!

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Opening Hours

Mon-Sun: 10am-5pm

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