So I recently got invited to Gloucester Prison on a ghost hunt with the UK’s number one paranormal experience events company, Haunted Happenings. Now, I have to say, I have seen the paranormal TV shows with all the bumps, bangs and other noises that claim to be real, but just seemed fake in the name of entertainment. That said I’m a believer, I’ve had my own experiences that I can’t explain back in my days serving with the British Army in Northern Ireland.
I was based in Palace Barracks just outside Belfast, a barracks that dates back to 1886, built on the site of a former Bishop’s residence. Based there in the mid to late 90s, I lived in one of the old original barrack blocks and I never witnessed anything until one day I was given a Battalion photo dating back to the early days of the barracks history when it was occupied by The Royal Irish Rifles, from then on things would move around my barrack room whilst I was asleep, I would make a hot chocolate each night and put it on the table next to my bed, wake up in the morning and find it in various places across the room. Other things would also end up around the room, in places I didn’t put them.
So when I was invited to go along to one of Haunted Happenings paranormal events at Gloucester Prison, I jumped at the chance.
Gloucester Prison which finally closed in 2013 was built on the grounds of Gloucester Castle, and has a long and chilling history. In its later history, the prison was ‘Category B Mens Prison’, holding some of the worst criminals in modern times such as the infamous serial killer, Fred West, who was processed at Gloucester Prison on route to HM Prison Birmingham, as well as numerous IRA terrorists including Arthur Griffith, and Peter McAleese, a former British soldier and mercenary who took part in the attempt to kill the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar in 1989.
The prison, now a tourist attraction has a reputation as one of the most haunted in the UK, with reports of ghostly activity and a dark history including public executions and the burial of executed criminals within its grounds. Back in 2013, a local historian even claimed there are still over 120 prisoners buried in the prison grounds.
The prisons dark past going back to 1792, full of pain, death and suffering. The prison would house more than just men, it would house women and children too! If a child was convicted of a crime, often the parents would also be sent to prison with them.
My Paranormal experience at Gloucester Prison:
The Haunted Happenings team greeted everyone at the gate to the prison and welcomed us into the break room where we were introduced to the team and split off into groups to explore the prison with our hosts. First the group I was with were taken to an out building where we took part in a vigil where numerous paranormal investigating gadgets were placed around the room, but nothing was set off. I volunteered to go into the adjoining hallway in the pitch dark where at the end of the hall, I saw a dim light, at first I thought it was my eyes playing tricks on me and then it started moving, I asked a few others to come look to see if they could see what I was seeing and they all saw the dim light too.
From there, we went to A Wing, which was the wing that housed what was called the condemned prisoners who were waiting to be hung. We went up to the first floor into a cell where Ouija boards were set up on a table, this was quite creepy, but cool at the same time, I decided to just watch and not take part as I don’t mind saying I was a bit chicken to start getting that involved. After a short while one of the Ouija boards started getting some action, my first involvement in a Ouija board, and I have to say I had a lot of fun and found it really interesting, but you still wont get me using one!
We were then given free time to explore the prison on our own, I was asked if I wanted to be shown round by one of the Haunted Happenings team and was taken to the youth detention block where there was definitely a creepy ora to it, the higher we went up each of the floors, the colder it felt, the feeling you weren’t alone was very apparent, and I don’t mean the other guests.
We then went into the original Gate House where the many of the prisoners were hung and couldn’t resist popping the noose over my head for a selfie.
After a short break, my group were taken to the suicide wing where we tried contacting any of the prisoners that had killed themselves, some of the paranormal detection devices did start lighting up, and although for our group the attempt to get any of the spirits to flip a table, one of the other groups did manage to get a table to flip.
The final location was the kitchen, a place we were told would often be the scene of killings as prisoners would have access to knives, hot oil, fire and other implements to kill another inmate.
The experience was awesome, a lot of fun and extremely interesting, the team which also included a former warden of the prison had a huge amount of knowledge of the prisons history, they were genuinly pasionate about what they do and made everyones experience something that we would all want to repeat. I for one will be looking forward to getting on another Haunted Happenings event, whether you are a sceptic, a believer or just fancy a night out with a difference, I would highly recommend checking out any of the Haunted Happenings events up and down the country, especially Gloucester Prison, as by the end of the year (2025) the prison will no longer be accessible to the public as it will be converted into flats. So get int he quick, as this location will be an experience you wont be able to check out for much longer.
Paranormal Experiences at Gloucester Prison With Haunted Happenings:
Click HERE for more details and to book the last few Gloucester Prison Paranormal Experiences ever.
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