For hundreds of years, weary travelers have gathered at the fireside of the Skirrid Inn, one of the oldest pubs in Wales. For generations, landlords at the inn left a cup of ale outside overnight as an offering to ward off dark spirits. Upstairs, judges once held court, and it is claimed that more than 180 convicted criminals were hanged on the Skirrid’s main staircase, where an executioner’s noose still dangles as a grisly reminder.
Crossing the border into England brings us to Shepton Mallet, a prison with an equally dark history. Built in 1625, HMP Shepton Mallet was used by the US military during World War II to incarcerate its most hardened felons. Sixteen American soldiers were hanged in the execution chamber. Small wonder it is reputed to be Britain’s most haunted prison, replete with stories of restless spirits and a phantom lady in white.
Join author Richard Estep, investigator MJ Dickson, and a team of fellow paranormal researchers as they go behind bars (in more ways than one) to uncover the mysteries of these infamous haunted locations for themselves.
