{{Short description|Former 18th-century prison in Gloucester, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Use British English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox prison | prison_name = HMP Gloucester | image = File:Geograph 3566159 Gloucester Prison.jpg | caption = Old entrance to HM Prison Gloucester in 2013 | location = Gloucester, Gloucestershire | coordinates = | status = Closed | classification = Adult Male/Category B | capacity = | population = 323 | populationdate = January 2005 | opened = 1791 | closed = 2013 | former_name = | managed_by = HM Prison Services | governor = | website = }}
'''HM Prison Gloucester''' was a Category B men's prison located in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. It was originally opened in 1792, on the site of Gloucester Castle whose keep had been used as a prison.
The prison was operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service and closed in 2013. thumb|200px|HM Prison Gloucester in 2007
==History== [[File:Prison Governor's House, Gloucester.jpg|thumb|200px|Prison Governor's House, a Grade II listed building]] Designed by William Blackburn, the prison was constructed on the site of Gloucester Castle, the keep of which had previously been used as a prison. It opened as a county gaol in 1792.<ref name=bho>{{cite web|title='Gloucester: The castle', in A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 4, the City of Gloucester|first= N M |last=Herbert |location=London|year= 1988|pages= 245–247|publisher=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol4/pp245-247 |access-date= 19 September 2019}}</ref>
In 1840, it was substantially rebuilt with flanking brick wings by Thomas Fuljames. A new young offenders wing was built at the prison in 1971. Further improvements were made in 1987, including a new gate, administration block and visits centre.
In April, 2003, Gloucester was named in a survey as "among the 20 most overcrowded jails" in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2915367.stm |title=UK | England | Three-hour siege at prison ends |publisher=BBC News |date=2003-04-03 |access-date=2012-08-07}}</ref> The following day, the prison was the scene of a three-and-a-half-hour siege when two prisoners protested over visiting rights by barricading themselves in a cell.
A Time Bank scheme was launched at Gloucester Prison in February 2006. Inmates who joined the scheme restored bicycles in the prison workshop, and this time was credited to their friends and families who could cash it in to get help from volunteers in the community.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/4685934.stm |title=UK | England | Gloucestershire | Inmates swap time for family help |publisher=BBC News |date=2006-02-06 |access-date=2012-08-07}}</ref> The scheme continued at the prison until its closure.
In June 2007, the Independent Monitoring Board criticised Gloucester Prison for its overcrowding, poor dining provision and cramped cells.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/6220888.stm |title=UK | England | Gloucestershire | Prison conditions are criticised |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-06-20 |access-date=2012-08-07}}</ref> A month later over 100 prisoners had to be moved to other jails after severe flooding across the Gloucestershire area submerged the ground floor of the prison and interfered with its water supplies.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/6911490.stm |title=UK | England | Gloucestershire | Floods bring chaos across county |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-07-23 |access-date=2012-08-07}}</ref>
In August 2007, the prison was criticised by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons after an inspection report found the levels of organised activities for inmates at Gloucester (such as training and education) were "woeful". The report also stated that one wing of the prison should be refurbished. However the prison was described as "very positive" overall because of good management.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolpda/ifs_news/hi/newsid_6961000/6961687.stm |title=Home |publisher=BBC News |date=1970-01-01 |access-date=2012-08-07 }}{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
On 10 January 2013, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling announced that the prison was one of seven in England to close.<ref name=BBC20969898>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20969898|title=Seven prison closures in England announced|publisher=BBC News|date=10 January 2013|access-date=10 January 2013}}</ref> The prison formally closed on 31 March 2013. The site of the prison is due to be redeveloped, however there are a number of executed criminals buried in unmarked graves under the prison.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-21545150 |title=BBC News - Gloucester prison closure: Criminals buried underneath |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2013-02-22 |access-date=2013-05-03}}</ref> It was reported in April 2013 that the Malmaison hotel chain have expressed an interest in converting the site into a hotel, while an alternative proposal would see a prison museum with ghost tours housed at the former jail.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/Jail-museum-man-wants-Gloucester-Prison-ghost/story-19248788-detail/story.html |title=Jail museum man wants to turn Gloucester Prison into ghost attraction |work=Gloucester Citizen |date=2013-06-11 |access-date=2014-04-28}}</ref> In March the site was formally put up for sale, with an expectation that at least part of the site will be for housing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-26436729 |title=BBC News - Gloucester Prison site to go up for sale |publisher=BBC News|date=2014-03-04 |access-date=2014-04-28}}</ref>
On 24 December 2014, it was announced that Gloucester Prison along with Dorchester Prison, Kingston Prison and Shepton Mallet Prison had been sold to City and Country. There will be a community consultation on the development of all the sites, with plans including mixed-used schemes of assisted living units alongside retail and social amenity areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30596574|title=The sale of former prisons in west and south England is agreed|publisher=BBC News |date=24 December 2014}}</ref> In December 2015 it was revealed that the remains of a wall of a large Norman castle had been uncovered in the former exercise yard of the prison.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-35031536|title=Norman castle wall found under former Gloucester prison|work=BBC News}}</ref>
From April 2017 to October 2018, the former prison was open to the public under the Jailhouse Tours brand whilst planning permission was finalised.
==Notable former inmates== * Herbert Rowse Armstrong, the only British solicitor to have been hanged for murder (executed in 1922) * Arthur Griffith, Former President of Dáil Éireann ( May 1918 - March 1919 ) * Stefan Kiszko, wrongly convicted of murder * Peter McAleese, British soldier, prisoner during the 1970s * Pierce McCan, Irish revolutionary, died in the prison in 1919
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://archive.today/20121224021345/http://www.justice.gov.uk/global/contacts/noms/prison-finder/gloucester/ Ministry of Justice pages on Gloucester]
{{Coord|51.8652|-2.2517|display=title}}
{{Buildings and structures in Gloucester}} {{Prisons in South West England}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gloucester (Hm Prison)}} HM Prison Category:Prisons in Gloucestershire Category:1782 establishments in England HM Prison Category:2013 disestablishments in England Category:Men's prisons Category:Defunct prisons in England