History and Spooks at Bodmin Jail, Cornwall, UK

Bodmin Jail was built in 1779, and once housed many prisoners who had committed all kinds of crimes from petty theft to murder. Many hangings took place at the jail, and for this reason, it is now a popular attraction for ghost hunters! If you love a bit of history, and don't mind being surrounded by spooky presences, a trip to Bodmin Jail is just what you need!

The cells

Although improvements have been made to the site, the authentic, creepy jail feeling is not lost. There is some light, but it is quite dim and it really adds to the eerie feeling. As you might expect, there is a lot to learn about the prisoners who were incarcerated in the jail. You will get the chance to tour the cells, discover who used to occupy them, and why they were there. The lower cells are by far the most frightening, so if you are easily scared, it's probably better to avoid going down to the depths of the jail. Much paranormal activity has been reported there, and many visitors have reported feeling back and neck pain around these areas!

The execution pit

As mentioned, there were a lot of hangings at Bodmin Jail. In 1878, British executioner William Marwood performed the first "long drop" hanging there, marking it as a huge part of the UK's history. Obviously, there are no executions these days, but Bodmin Jail still has the only working execution pit in the country. When you visit, you will get to see a demonstration of how it all worked - using a dummy, of course!

Ghost walks

If you are feeling really brave, you can even go on an overnight tour of the jail! The ghost walks start at 10.30pm, and take you around to various paranormal hotspots until 7am the following morning. This is not for the faint-hearted due to the possibility of some potentially disturbing happenings, but if you think you can take it, it costs £75/$120 per person! It sounds like a lot of money, but it is worth it just for the experience. A large chunk of the fee goes into keeping the jail well preserved, so it all goes back into keeping it a safe place for people to visit.

What used to be the home of convicts is now a tourist attraction for those interested in the history of Bodmin Jail. Even if you don't believe in ghosts, you will still have a lot of fun learning about the building and how the prison used to work.

Bodmin Jail

Berrycoombe Road, Bodmin

Opening times: 10am until dusk

Telephone: 01208 76292

Website