Part of CrackingDay
Gloucester & DorchesterPrisons

Gloucester · Dorchester · after dark

Candles lit. Doors locked. Something's listening.

Tours by candlelight, ghost hunts and hide and seek in two Georgian prisons. Daytime tours too, if you'd rather see it in the light.

See what's onThe prisons

Coming up

Every date →
Fri 20 Nov 2026 · 20:30–23:30Candlelight tourDorchester Prison · £26.00 · 40 places leftSat 21 Nov 2026 · 11:00–12:30Guided tourGloucester Prison · £22.00 · 25 places leftSat 28 Nov 2026 · 20:00–00:00Hide & seekGloucester Prison · £20.00 · 60 places left

Choose your night

Gloucester · Dorchester · £22.00Guided tourDaytime walks through the wings and cells with guides who have worked in the prison service.Gloucester · Dorchester · £26.00Candlelight tourAfter dark with a former governor: executions, the darker history and the ghost stories.Gloucester · DorchesterParanormal investigationGuided ghost hunts with modern kit and traditional methods. No mediums, no staged effects.Gloucester · £20.00Hide & seekThe whole prison after dark. One seeker counts over the tannoy; everyone else hides in cells, kitchens and workshops.Gloucester · £30.00Investigators' nightThe run of the site for paranormal teams, zoned and timed so groups don't cross.
Gloucester Prison

Gloucester Prison

The prison stands on ground that may once have held a Norman castle. Its Georgian and Victorian blocks spread across about four acres in the middle of Gloucester.

Address
Barrack Square, Gloucester GL1 2JN
Way in
The modern wooden gate off Barrack Square
Parking
Free and secure, on site
Access
Limited disabled access; get in touch first
What's on at Gloucester →
Dorchester Prison

Dorchester Prison

The prison was finished in 1795 on the site of a medieval castle, and its public hangings are linked to Thomas Hardy.

Address
7 North Square, Dorchester DT1 1JD
Way in
Through the small gates on North Square, then follow the prison walls to the entrance gate
Parking
Free and secure, on site
Arrival
Arrive 10 minutes before your time slot
What's on at Dorchester →

Book by name

No account needed. Everyone gets a link to sign their waiver before the day.

Wrap up warm

Bring a torch after dark. Arrive ten minutes early: the gate opens shortly before the start.

Mind the stairs

Access is limited in places. Get in touch before you visit if that matters.

Schools, venue hire and filming: enquire through CrackingDay.