HMP Shrewsbury Prison

Psychic Slammer! The Ultimate Overnight Ghost Hunt & Cell Sleepover at The Dana.

Shrewsbury, Shropshire

  • A historic prison building with a stone entrance gate, a sculpture above it, and multiple brick buildings with chimneys in the background, marked as Shrewsbury Prison.
  • Reflection of an indoor industrial or historical building with arched wooden beams and a glass ceiling, seen on a shiny, curved surface.
  • Historic stone building with a large wooden gate, decorative circular windows, two wall-mounted lanterns, and a bust sculpture of a man above the gate with the name 'Howard' beneath it. Clear blue sky in the background.
  • Interior corridor of a historical building with a high ceiling, decorative metal balcony, and skylights, featuring benches and fire extinguishers.
  • A narrow corridor with beige brick walls and a dark green floor, leading to an arched ceiling and a door at the end.
  • A sparse room with a white brick wall, a small sink on the wall with toiletries, a toilet in the corner, a single bed with white sheets and a brown book, and a small window. Sunlight streams through the window, casting shadows on the wall.
  • Front view of a historic building with stone and brick architecture, arched entrance, small windows with bars, and a statue above the entrance, under a blue sky with clouds.
  • A small, dimly lit room with bare brick and plaster walls, a toilet in the foreground, a small sink with a cabinet next to it, a window on the back wall letting in some light, and a bench or table along the right wall.
  • Interior of a historic prison with high ceilings, brick walls painted white and green, and several prison cell doors. There are some chairs and tables in the corridor, and an overhead steel walk in the upper part of the building.
  • A small, modest bedroom with a twin bed covered in a mix of beige, gray, and blue sheets, placed against a beige wall with two small windows. There is a wooden nightstand with a lamp, a remote, and some crosses. A wooden desk with papers, glasses, and a towel is next to a black chair. A white textured surface is visible in the foreground.
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Event Start Time: 9:00pm until 7:30am

Ticket Price: £99 Per Person

The Full Overnight Experience, like a true convict!

Your ghost hunt culminates in an optional cell sleepover, lasting until 7:30 AM, and includes a refreshing light continental breakfast before your departure.

This is a Psychic Medium event, guaranteeing a seasoned professional will be with you throughout your entire ghost hunting adventure to provide expert insight and facilitate communication with the spirits.

🚨 Psychic Slammer! Ultimate Ghost Hunt & Cell Sleepover at The Dana 🚨

This is an Overnight Descent into Shrewsbury’s Haunted Penal History. Step through the massive, imposing gates of HMP Shrewsbury and leave the safety of the modern world behind. For some souls, the sentence never ended.

You are granted exclusive, intense overnight access for an investigation within the sprawling wings and subterranean depths of this Georgian-Victorian complex. With a dark lineage dating back to 1793, the prison—known as "The Dana"—is a labyrinth of punishment.

The Condemned & The Hauntings

Shrewsbury Prison is a pressure cooker of residual energy. You will navigate and confront:

  • A-Wing's Shadow Man: Explore the echoing walkways notorious for sightings of a dark entity stalking the upper levels.

  • C-Wing's Grey Lady: Investigate the claustrophobic cell block where the melancholic female apparition is frequently seen drifting through the gloom.

  • The Hanging Shed's Panic: Stand in the harrowing execution room where the noose claimed lives until 1961. The air is thick with the panic of George Riley, the last man executed here.

  • Physical Phenomena: Documented accounts include the deafening sound of cell doors slamming on their own in Cell 222 and the unnerving sensation of being physically pushed by unseen hands on the gantry.

Step into the silence of the condemned cell and down the cold, concrete corridors. Here, the echoes of the dead demand to be heard. It is time to trade your skepticism for an all-night stand-off against the deep secrets held within the brickwork.

This is a lock-in sleepover event that secures your presence until 7:30 AM. Here, history doesn’t just whisper; it screams from the dark!

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History, Paranormal and Ghost Hunting Information

  • His Majesty’s Prison Shrewsbury, widely known as "The Dana," was a Category B/C Men's Prison in Shrewsbury.

    The prison closed its gates for good in March 2013, ending a history spanning over 220 years on a site that once held a medieval gaol.

    The name The Dana comes from Rev Edmund Dana, a benefactor after whom the original prison was named.

    The Age of Reform and Iron 📜 (1793)

    The prison's origins lie in the late 18th-century calls for prison reform, although the final structure was a product of many hands:

    • Design and Influence: Built in 1793, the jail's original plans were drawn up by John Hiram Haycock and William Blackburn but were significantly redesigned by Thomas Telford following critical input from reformer John Howard.

    • Early Brutality: Despite the reformist intentions, early justice was swift. The first man hanged at the new gaol was John Smith in 1795, convicted for stealing ten cotton handkerchiefs.

    Public Spectacles and The Gallows 🩸 (1795 – 1961)

    The Dana served as the site of countless executions, transitioning from a gruesome public show to a secluded, clinical act.

    • The Last Public Act: The prison's last public hanging was on April 9, 1868. John Mapp, a 35-year-old man convicted of murder, was executed above the main gate before public executions were abolished.

    • The Private Gallows: Following the prison's reconstruction in 1877, all subsequent executions took place behind closed doors within a dedicated execution suite (the Hanging Shed). Between 1902 and 1961, seven men were hanged here for murder.

    Executions at HMP Shrewsbury (1902–1961)

    Richard Wigley (34) 18 March 1902 First private execution.

    William Griffiths (57) 24 July 1923

    Frank Griffin (40) 4 January 1951

    Executed by the UK's most famous hangman.

    Harry Huxley (43) 8 July 1952

    Donald Neil Simon (32) 23 October 1952

    Desmond Donald Hooper (27) 26 January 1954

    George Riley (21) 9 February 1961

    The last man executed at Shrewsbury.

    • Final Resting Place: All executed prisoners were buried in unmarked graves within the walls. During redevelopment in 1972, the remains of ten executed prisoners were exhumed.

      The remains of George Riley were identified and handed over to his relatives, but the others were cremated.

    Overcrowding and Closure ➡️ (2004 – 2013)

    By the 21st century, the prison suffered from severe operational issues.

    • Tragedy and Overcrowding: A suicide crisis in 2004 led to a public enquiry. The prison was severely overcrowded, holding 326 prisoners in space designed for only 170 men by 2012, making it one of the most overcrowded jails in England and Wales.

    • Closure: HMP Shrewsbury closed its gates in March 2013 and is now preserved as a heritage site, the memory of its condemned residents remaining a key focus for its dark history.

  • HMP Shrewsbury is not just haunted; it is a dense portal of despair, where centuries of suffering have permeated the very stone and iron. The energy here is aggressive, interactive, and overwhelmingly negative.

    The Resident Apparitions and Physical Intimidation

    The prison's main entities are known not just for being seen, but for actively terrifying visitors:

    • The Shadow Man: This is not a fleeting glimpse but a terrifying, full-bodied shadow mass frequently reported in A-Wing.

      Visitors describe an overwhelming, oppressive feeling of being intensely studied.

      The Shadow Man is often associated with physical intimidation: feeling their personal space invaded, hearing aggressive growls, or seeing the dark shape quickly dart into the corners of the cells.

    • The Grey Lady: While less overtly hostile, this apparition, seen drifting across the galleried landings, induces a profound sense of suffocating sadness. People near her reported feeling instantly drained of energy or hearing faint, disembodied sobbing and lamentation that seems to come from all directions at once.

    The Executioner’s Mark and Sensory Distortion

    The Execution Room (The Hanging Shed) is charged with residual and intelligent haunting tied to the final moments of life.

    • George Riley's Despair: The last man executed, George Riley, is more than just a visible ghost.

      In the Execution Room, witnesses describe an overpowering, phantom smell of stagnant sweat and fear.

      Investigators have heard the distinct sound of shuffling or dragging feet on the floorboards, followed by an immediate, terrifying snap sound echoing from the empty rope hook.

    • The Sound of Silence: In the walkway leading to the shed, the boundaries of sound often distort. Sudden, inexplicable pockets of absolute silence—where all background noise vanishes—have been reported, making the subsequent return of sound feel jarring and unnatural.

    Phenomena and Hotspots

    The phenomena here are often tactile and environmental, preying on the visitor's sense of solitude and safety.

    • A-Wing and C-Wing Cells: Solitude in the cells is rarely assured. Visitors who sit alone report the unsettling sound of cell locks mysteriously rattling when no one is near them. The most disturbing reports involve the feeling of a heavy, unseen weight depressing the mattress next to them, suggesting a presence has actively chosen to sit in their confinement.

    • Poltergeist Activity: The prison is noted for the movement of small objects, which investigators have documented being flicked or thrown with palpable force, often accompanied by a low, guttural growl emanating from the cell corridors.

  • 🗝️ Your Exclusive Night of Paranormal Investigation and Sleepover at The Dana

    Dare to step behind the notorious walls of HM Prison Shrewsbury ("The Dana") for an intense, structured, and immersive overnight investigation and sleepover.

    Your night is carefully structured to provide both guided instruction and dedicated private time within this legendary and historically charged former penitentiary.

    🌙 Guided Paranormal Experience

    Your investigation begins with expert guidance to introduce you to the prison's most powerful energies and harrowing past.

    • Psychic Medium in Attendance: A seasoned Psychic Medium will be with you throughout the night, offering deep insights, attempting to communicate directly with the spirits of the executed (like George Riley) and the aggressive energies linked to the Shadow Man.

    • Exclusive Access to Active Areas: Your access covers the entire vast complex, including the towering Victorian A-Wing, the claustrophobic C-Wing, the isolation cells, and the intensely charged Execution Room (The Hanging Shed).

    • Deep Dive into The Dana's History and Folklore: We will share the full, gripping history of the prison, covering the grim stories of the condemned and the documented ghostly manifestations.

    🔬 Hands-On Paranormal Investigation

    You will participate in small-group vigils across the most active areas, utilising a blend of modern kit and traditional techniques:

    • Ghost Hunting Equipment: Get hands-on with professional kit, including EMF Meters, K2 Meters, and voice recorders (to capture EVPs).

    • Traditional Experiments: Guided participation in experiments such as human pendulum work and the use of response flashlights within the confinement of the solitary cells.

    • Vigils and Séances: Conducting ghost hunting vigils and spiritual séances in very small groups within the most energetic hotspots.

    🔦 Dedicated Private Exploration Time & Sleepover

    A significant portion of the night is allocated for solo or small-group free time towards the end of the investigation.

    • This is your crucial chance to properly break away and conduct your own private vigil in the most active spots.

    • The Sleepover Experience: From 3:00 AM, you will retire to your allocated cell to get some rest (this is entirely optional). You will need to bring blankets or a sleeping bag, and most importantly, a pillow.

    • You will be awoken at 7:00 AM (or sooner, perhaps, by the resident spirits!).

    ☕ Refreshments

    • Late-Night Refreshments: Includes a good supply of teas and coffees, along with light snacks, provided throughout the intense investigation phase.

    • We will observe necessary rest breaks during the evening to allow you to debrief and recuperate.

    • Breakfast: Upon waking, you will be offered a light continental breakfast before departure.

  • Event Time: 9:00 PM until 7:30 AM (Overnight Sleepover)

    Arrival & Registration

    Please arrive promptly by 8:45 PM for registration.

    Location AddressHM Prison Shrewsbury (The Dana), Howard Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2HP

    (Adjacent to the Railway Station).

    Tickets £99 per person

    Dates AvailableVarious Dates (Check website for specific availability)

    Note: All guests will be required to sign a safety waiver upon arrival at the event. Age 18+

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