The HM Prison Shrewsbury was built in 1877. There had been a prison on this site since 1793. It also near to the site of the Dana gaol which was a medieval prison. The prison is still sometimes reffered to as The Dana.
Between 1902 and 1961 seven inmates were executed inside the prison. All of them were convicted of murder and buried on the grounds of the prison in unmarked graves.
In the beginning of the 21st century the prison was extremely overcrowded. In 2005 it was the most overcrowded prison in the UK. In 2008 it was at a rate of 183% 326 inmates in a space designed for 178 . This continued until closure on 27th of February in 2013.
The prison is grade ii listed and had plans for converting into flats and student accommodation with various amenities on the site. This was rejected due to congestion in the area so for now it is open to the public for tours.
I visited the prison via Jailhouse Tours. They have a number of sites located around the UK.
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