Shrewsbury - The Dana Prison

Just for a change from all the mountains, oceans and forests, I decided to visit a prison. In Shrewsbury we have the Dana Prison, first built in 1791 and closed in 2013 and has got to be one of the most interesting and unnerving places I have ever visited.

We had a guided tour first with a retired guard who was incredibly informative and very entertaining and I was then left to my own devices to wander at will.

We followed the path a new prisoner would take, from being "welcomed" to the prison all the way through accommodation, healthcare, exercise, regulations, punishments and finally leaving the prison, whether on foot, or otherwise, or in some cases, not at all!

Going in February, the prison was extremely cold and there is a real damp/mould problem going on, I can't imagine how much it would cost to put all that right. But this does all add to the most extraordinary atmosphere.

At the end of the prison's working life, 2 men were housed in each cell with minimal furniture but there were toilets and handbasins. 

I have no idea what it must have been like but the discussion on crime and punishment is for a whole other time and place!

After the tour, on my solitary wander, I wanted the photos to try to show the stillness and the isolation of the prison now, bearing in mind just a few years ago it would have been full, bustling and noisy. It was easy to pick up the ambience, because as I explored, I didn't come across another soul throughout the whole prison! On the self-tour you are allowed to go everywhere that isn't signed otherwise and there was so much to photograph. Luckily I took a tripod as it was really quite dark in places.

They apparently run zombie escape themed parties or something similar here and I can understand how scary they would be. At one point I was setting up the tripod to take a particularly challenging shot, when one of the huge metal doors swung shut with a clang and I spent the next 2 minutes trying to get my heartbeat back to normal, and the next 2 trying to actually open the door as it had wedged shut!

And lets not even talk about the numerous mannequins they had dotted about in order to scare the unsuspecting visitor half to death! We were regaled with various spectral sightings on the tour which didn't help as I have always been troubled with an over vivid imagination!

And on that note, let me mention the final room in the prison, the execution room. I was expecting to go in and feel chills or a heavy atmosphere, but it wasn't like that at all. It was a sobering thought that people had died in that room, and in the 1800's for some very inconsequential crimes, but it just felt like it was too far removed, maybe because the last hanging there was before I was born. Just. 

I have no idea what they intend to do with the prison, but if there is anyway you can get to it before then, I certainly would.

Lessons Learned: My only New Year's resolution this year was to stay out of jail and this visit, which by the way doesn't count as it was voluntary, has reinforced the determination. So having spent most of my life accepting that everything I secretly enjoy is immoral, illegal or fattening, I guess I am going to have to go with 2 out of 3!

Diet Diary: Damn, 1 out of 3 then!

Rambling Record: That little behind is getting a bit bigger! Need to get my act together or else I will be doing an awful lot of walking in December!