Unit History: Shepton Mallet Prison
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HMP Shepton Mallet, sometimes known as Cornhill, is a prison located in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England. It is the United Kingdom’s oldest operating prison. Shepton Mallet is a Category C Lifer Prison and holds 182 prisoners. The prison is a grade II* listed building.
The prison was first opened as a civilian jail from 1610 to 1930. During this time a total of 7 judicial executions took place within its walls between 1889 and 1926:
Samuel Rylands - 13 March 1889
Henry Dainton - 15 December 1891
Charles Squires - 10 August 1893
Henry Quarterly 10 November 1914
Verney Hasser - 5 March 1918
William Bignall - 24 February 1925
John Lincoln - 2 March 1926
All of the condemned men were hanged for the crime of murder. Their remains were buried in unmarked graves within the walls of the prison, as was customary following British executions.
The prison was first opened as a civilian jail from 1610 to 1930. During this time a total of 7 judicial executions took place within its walls between 1889 and 1926:
Samuel Rylands - 13 March 1889
Henry Dainton - 15 December 1891
Charles Squires - 10 August 1893
Henry Quarterly 10 November 1914
Verney Hasser - 5 March 1918
William Bignall - 24 February 1925
John Lincoln - 2 March 1926
All of the condemned men were hanged for the crime of murder. Their remains were buried in unmarked graves within the walls of the prison, as was customary following British executions.
