List of prisons in the United Kingdom

List of prisons in the United Kingdom is a list of all 142 current prisons as of 2024 in the United Kingdom spread across the three UK legal systems of England and Wales (123 prisons), Scotland, (15 prisons) and Northern Ireland (4 prisons). Also included are a number of historical prisons no longer in current use.

Prisons, prison services, prison population and prisoner categories

England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Public Sector prisons in England and Wales are managed by His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPPS), which is part of the His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, an executive agency of the United Kingdom government.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In addition, since the 1990s the day-to-day running of a number of previously existing prisons, as well as several new facilities, has been "contracted out" to private companies, such as Serco and G4S.<ref name="Private">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> All prisons in England and Wales, whether publicly or privately run, are inspected by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons.<ref name="Private" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Prisons in Scotland are run by the Scottish Prison Service and prisons in Northern Ireland are run by the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

The following tables below list all current and some historical prisons and Young Offender Institutions in use in the three UK legal systems of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as of 2022. The majority house adult males, and are operated by each legal systems respective public prison service, although a small number are operated by private prison companies. There are also a small number of adult female prisons and youth prisons/secure children's units for those under 18.

Population

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} As of 2021, the total prison population of the UK (England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland combined) stands at roughly 87,000, one of the largest in the Western world. With the increasing population, law changes resulting in longer prison sentences and a national government prison building program to build 20,000 more prison spaces by the mid 2020s the total UK prison population is expected to increase to almost 110,000 by 2026.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

United Kingdom prisoner categories and establishment types

In the UK adult prisoners are divided into 4 security categories (though male and female categories are slightly different) depending on certain factors such as the offences they have been convicted or accused of, their likelihood of attempting an escape, the threat they would pose if they escaped, their length of sentence, and any of their previous criminal convictions, if any. Male categories are as follows,

Category A – 'Those whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public or national security'. Typically for example those convicted of offences such as murder, manslaughter, terrorism, rape, wounding with intent (GBH), robbery, serious firearm and explosives offences, offences against the state, those sentenced under the Official Secrets Act, or any attempts of those offences. There are a total of ten Category A prisons in the UK, eight are located in England and Wales, one in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland. HM Prison Belmarsh is an example of a Category A prison. They are the equivalent of a supermax/maximum security prison in the United States for example.

Category B – 'Those who do not require maximum security, but for whom escape still needs to be made very difficult'. Typically for those convicted of the same types offences as category A prisoners, but who are not judged to be as high risk or those who have served a long time as a category A prisoner with good behaviour/rehabilitation are sometimes downgraded to category B. HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs is an example of a Category B prison. They are the equivalent of a medium security prison in the United States for example.

Category C – 'Those who cannot be trusted in open conditions but who are unlikely to try to escape'. Typically for those convicted of minor offences and who are serving shorter sentences no more than a few years in length. Also category B prisoners coming to the end of their sentence are sometimes downgraded to category C to prepare them for release. HM Prison Berwyn is an example of a Category C prison. They are the equivalent of a minimum security prison in the United States for example.

Category D – 'Those who can be reasonably trusted not to try to escape, and are given the privilege of an open prison'. Category D prisoners are held in "Open Prisons" in which they are trusted to be able to move freely around the prison without risk and who after completing a risk assessment may be allowed to work outside of the prison in the community or allowed short home visits for a set number of hours a week. Also category C prisoners coming to the end of their sentence are sometimes downgraded to category D to prepare them for release. HM Prison Ford is an example of a Category D prison. They are the equivalent of a minimum security work release prison or local jail in the United States for example.

Adult women in England and Wales are categorised with four slightly different types of security levels, from lowest to highest being Open, Closed, Restricted Status and Category A '. However Category A for women is rarely used due to the fairly low number of women being held for such serious offences, meaning most are held either in Closed or Restricted Status conditions. Northern Ireland operates a similar system to England and Wales. Scotland operates a separate three category system, from lowest to highest being Low, Medium and High Supervision (High Supervision being similar to Category A for adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Additionally whereas males and females aged 18 or over are held in dedicated adult prisons, those under 18 (and sometimes under 21) are held in one of three types of establishments across the country that are run by either the public prison service, private companies (such as G4S or Serco), local council authorities and in rare cases some charity providers. They are,

Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) which are prison based establishments very similar to adult prisons that hold those convicted and remanded for offences but that only hold males aged 15–20 (ages 15–17 and ages 18–20 are housed separately) and who are not classed as vulnerable.

Secure Training Centres (STCs) which are secure custody establishments but that focus more on things such as education, welfare, health and support rather than traditional prison style punishment. They hold convicted males aged 12–14 and females aged 12–17 in separate accommodation. Though males aged 15–17 can be held also if they are classed as vulnerable.

Secure Children's Homes (SCHs) which are similar to STC's in that they mainly focus on things like education, welfare, health and support rather than traditional prison style punishment. They hold very young males and females aged 10–11 convicted or remanded usually for only serious offences. Though males and females aged 12–14 can be held also if they are classed as vulnerable. Additionally males and females all the way up to the age of 17 can be held if they are refused bail and remanded (but not yet convicted) to be held by local children's authorities (and not the prison service) usually if they are more vulnerable, at risk or a YOI is not suitable. It should also be noted that not all children held in SCHs have necessarily been convicted, remanded or accused of crimes, some are held by court orders on safety grounds under legislation such as the Children Act 1989 due to things like their history of absconding from regular open children's care homes, risk of committing harm to themselves or others, or those at high risk of vulnerability from things such as forms of abuse, illicit drugs use and child prostitution.

More can be found here: Prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom.

Prisons and Young Offender Institutions

England and Wales (His Majesty's Prison Service)

Name	Location	County	Operator	Capacity	Notes	Category	Type
Altcourse	Liverpool	Merseyside	G4S<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Altcourse"/>	B	HMP
Ashfield	Pucklechurch	Gloucestershire	Serco<ref name="Private"/>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Adult sex offenders	C	HMP
Askham Grange	Askham Richard	North Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults and young offenders<ref name="Askham Grange"/>	Open	HMP & YOI
Aylesbury	Aylesbury	Buckinghamshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Formerly YOI<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	C	HMP
Bedford	Bedford	Bedfordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP
Belmarsh	Thamesmead	London		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	A	HMP
Berwyn	Wrexham	Wrexham County Borough		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adult. Largest prison in the UK.	C	HMP
Birmingham	Birmingham	West Midlands		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Birmingham2">Template:Cite news</ref>	Previously known as Winson Green	B, C	HMP
Brinsford	Featherstone	Staffordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders<ref name="Brinsford"/>	B, C	HMP & YOI
Bristol	Horfield	Bristol		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Bristol"/>	B	HMP
Brixton	Brixton	London		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Training establishment	C	HMP
Bronzefield	Ashford	Surrey	Sodexo Justice Services<ref name="Private"/>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults and young offenders<ref name="Bronzefield"/>	A	HMP & YOI
Buckley Hall	Rochdale	Greater Manchester		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Bullingdon	Arncott	Oxfordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B, C	HMP
Bure	Coltishall	Norfolk		624	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Cardiff	Adamsdown	Cardiff		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP
Channings Wood	Denbury	Devon		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Chelmsford	Chelmsford	Essex		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Chelmsford"/>	B	HMP & YOI
Coldingley	Bisley	Surrey		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Cookham Wood	Borstal	Kent		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male Adults. Re-roled from a Male YOI in July 2024<ref name="Cookham Wood"/>	C	HMP
Dartmoor	Princetown	Devon		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Deerbolt	Startforth	County Durham		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Training prison and young offenders<ref name="Deerbolt"/>	C	HMP & YOI
Doncaster	Doncaster	South Yorkshire	Serco<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP
Dovegate	Uttoxeter	Staffordshire	Serco<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP
Downview	Banstead	Surrey		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Closed	HMP
Drake Hall	Yarnfield	Staffordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults and young offenders. Specializes in foreign nationals<ref name="Drake Hall"/>	Closed	HMP & YOI
Durham	Durham	County Durham		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP
East Sutton Park	Sutton Valence	Kent		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults and young offenders<ref name="East Sutton Park"/>	Open	HMP & YOI
Eastwood Park	Falfield	Gloucestershire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults<ref name="Eastwood Park"/>	Closed	HMP & YOI
Erlestoke	Erlestoke	Wiltshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Exeter	Exeter	Devon		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Exeter"/>	B	HMP
Featherstone	Featherstone	Staffordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Feltham	Feltham	London		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP & YOI
Ford	Arundel	West Sussex		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults.	D	HMP
Forest Bank	Pendlebury	Greater Manchester	Sodexo Justice Services<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Forest Bank"/>	B	HMP
Fosse Way	Glen Parva	Leicestershire	Serco	1715<ref name="Fosse Way">Template:Cite news</ref>		C	HMP
Foston Hall	Foston, Derbyshire	Derbyshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults and young offenders<ref name="Foston Hall"/>	Closed	HMP & YOI
Five Wells	Wellingborough	Northamptonshire	G4S	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults	C	HMP
Frankland	Brasside	County Durham		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	A	HMP
Full Sutton	Full Sutton	East Riding of Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	A	HMP
Garth	Ulnes Walton	Lancashire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP
Gartree	Market Harborough	Leicestershire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Grendon	Grendon Underwood	Buckinghamshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Guys Marsh	Shaftesbury	Dorset		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Hatfield	Hatfield Woodhouse	South Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Moorland Open"/>	D	HMP & YOI
Haverigg	Haverigg	Cumbria		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Hewell	Tardebigge	Worcestershire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
High Down	Banstead	Surrey		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP & YOI
Highpoint North	Stradishall	Suffolk		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults. Previously known as Edmunds Hill.	C	HMP
Highpoint South	Stradishall	Suffolk		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Hindley	Bickershaw	Greater Manchester		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Adult Males<ref name="Hindley"/>	C	HMP & YOI
Hollesley Bay	Woodbridge	Suffolk		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Hollesley Bay"/>	D	HMP & YOI
Holme House	Stockton-on-Tees	County Durham		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Hull	Kingston upon Hull	East Riding of Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP & YOI
Humber	Brough	East Riding of Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Huntercombe	Nuffield	Oxfordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders<ref name="Huntercombe"/>	C	HMP
Isis	Thamesmead	London		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders<ref name="Isis"/>	C	HMP & YOI
Isle of Wight (Albany)	Newport	Isle of Wight		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Isle of Wight (Parkhurst)	Newport	Isle of Wight		536<ref name="Isle of Wight"/>		B	HMP
Kirkham	Kirkham	Lancashire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		D	HMP
Kirklevington Grange	Kirklevington	North Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		D	HMP
Lancaster Farms	Lancaster	Lancashire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Leeds	Leeds	West Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Formerly known as Armley Gaol.	B	HMP
Leicester	Leicester	Leicestershire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Lewes	Lewes	East Sussex		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Lewes"/>	B	HMP
Leyhill	Tortworth	Gloucestershire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		D	HMP
Lincoln	Lincoln	Lincolnshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP & YOI
Lindholme	Hatfield Woodhouse	South Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Part of site used as Immigration Removal Centre<ref name="Lindholme"/>	C, D	HMP
Littlehey	Perry	Cambridgeshire		1200	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Liverpool	Liverpool	Merseyside		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B, C	HMP
Long Lartin	South Littleton	Worcestershire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		A	HMP
Low Newton	Brasside	County Durham		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults and young offenders<ref name="Low Newton"/>	Closed	HMP & YOI
Lowdham Grange	Lowdham	Nottinghamshire	Serco<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Maidstone	Maidstone	Kent		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Foreign Nationals	C	HMP
Manchester	Manchester	Greater Manchester		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Previously known as Strangeways<ref name="Manchester"/>	A	HMP
Millsike	Full Sutton	East Riding of Yorkshire		1500		C	HMP
Moorland	Hatfield Woodhouse	South Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Moorland Closed"/>	C	HMP & YOI
Morton Hall	Morton Hall	Lincolnshire		392	Adult Male Foreign Nationals	C	HMP
New Hall	Flockton	West Yorkshire		446	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Closed	HMP & YOI
Northumberland	Acklington	Northumberland	Sodexo Justice Services<ref name="Private" />	1348	Created by merging HMP Acklington and HMP Castington	C	HMP
North Sea Camp	Freiston	Lincolnshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		D	HMP
Norwich	Norwich	Norfolk		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Norwich"/>	B, C	HMP & YOI
Nottingham	Nottingham	Nottinghamshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Oakwood	Featherstone	Staffordshire	G4S<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Onley	Rugby	Warwickshire		742<ref name="autogenerated1"/>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP
Parc	Bridgend	Mid Glamorgan	G4S<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders,<ref name="Parc"/> including Under-18s.<ref name=":0" /> Opened in 1997.	B	HMP & YOI
Pentonville	Barnsbury	London		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B, C	HMP & YOI
Peterborough	Peterborough	Cambridgeshire	Sodexo Justice Services<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults (480) and female adults (360)<ref name="Peterborough"/>	B	HMP
Portland	Easton	Dorset		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders<ref name="Portland"/>	C	HMP & YOI
Prescoed	Usk	Monmouthshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>	Young offenders; Satellite of Usk<ref name="Prescoed"/>	D	HMP & YOI
Preston	Preston	Lancashire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Ranby	Ranby	Nottinghamshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Risley	Warrington	Cheshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Rochester	Rochester	Kent		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	C	HMP & YOI
Rye Hill	Barby	Northamptonshire	G4S<ref name="Private" />	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Send	Send	Surrey		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults<ref name="Send"/>	Closed	HMP
Elmley (Sheppey Cluster)	Eastchurch	Kent		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Elmley"/>	B, C	HMP
Standford Hill (Sheppey Cluster)	Eastchurch	Kent		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		D	HMP
Swaleside (Sheppey Cluster)	Eastchurch	Kent		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
Stafford	Stafford	Staffordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Stocken	Stretton	Rutland		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Stoke Heath	Stoke Heath	Shropshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders<ref name="Stoke Heath"/>	C	HMP & YOI
Styal	Styal	Cheshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Female adults and young offenders<ref name="Styal"/>	Closed	HMP & YOI
Sudbury	Sudbury	Derbyshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		D	HMP
Swansea	Sandfields	Swansea		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B, C	HMP
Swinfen Hall	Swinfen	Staffordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults and young offenders<ref name="Swinfen Hall"/>	C	HMP & YOI
Thameside	Thamesmead	London	Serco<ref name="Private"/>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP
The Mount	Bovingdon	Hertfordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Adult Category C<ref name="The Mount"/>	C	HMP
The Verne	Portland	Dorset		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults, sex offenders<ref name="The Verne"/>	C	HMP
Thorn Cross	Appleton Thorn	Cheshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders<ref name="Thorn Cross"/>	D	HMP & YOI
Usk	Usk	Monmouthshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Wakefield	Wakefield	West Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Also known as 'Monster Mansion'	A	HMP
Wandsworth	Wandsworth	London		citation	CitationClass=web }} Soon to be a Remand Centre</ref>		B, C	HMP
Warren Hill	Woodbridge	Suffolk		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders<ref name="Warren Hill"/>	C	HMP
Wayland	Griston	Norfolk		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Wealstun	Thorp Arch	West Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Werrington	Werrington	Staffordshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders,<ref name="Werrington"/> including Under-18s <ref name=":0" />	YOI	HMYOI
Wetherby	Wetherby	West Yorkshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Young offenders,<ref name="Wetherby"/> including Under-18s <ref name=":0" />	YOI	HMYOI
Whatton	Whatton-in-the-Vale	Nottinghamshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP
Whitemoor	March	Cambridgeshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		A	HMP
Winchester	Winchester	Hampshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	B	HMP & YOI
Woodhill	Milton Keynes	Buckinghamshire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		B	HMP & YOI
Wormwood Scrubs	Wormwood Scrubs	London		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male adults<ref name="justice1"/>	B	HMP
Wymott	Ulnes Walton	Lancashire		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		C	HMP

HMP The Verne is now acting as a public sector category C prison.

Former prisons

Name	Location	County	Notes
Abingdon	Abingdon	Oxfordshire	Built 1812 as the county gaol for Berkshire, closed 1874, redeveloped in the 1960s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Aldington	Aldington	Kent	Closed 1999
Ashwell	Ashwell	Rutland	Closed March 2011, awaiting re-development
Beaumaris	Beaumaris	Anglesey	Historic, now a museum
Belle Vue	Manchester	Greater Manchester	Historic
Blantyre House	Goudhurst	Kent	Closed 2015
Blundeston	Blundeston	Suffolk	1960–2013
Bocardo	Oxford	Oxfordshire	Historic
Bodmin	Bodmin	Cornwall	Historic
Bullwood Hall	Hockley	Essex	Closed 2013
Camp Hill Prison	Newport	Isle of Wight	Closed 2013
Canterbury Prison	Canterbury	Kent	Closed 2013
The Clink	Southwark	London	Historic
Coldbath Fields	Clerkenwell	London	Closed 1885
Dorchester	Dorchester	Dorset	Closed 2013
Dalton Castle	Dalton-In-Furness	Cumbria
Eden Camp	Malton	North Yorkshire	World War II prisoner of war camp
Finnamore Wood	Marlow	Buckinghamshire	Closed 1996, awaiting redevelopment
Fisherton Gaol	Salisbury	Wiltshire	Closed 1870 <ref>Wiltshire Community History website</ref>
Fleet	Holborn	London	Historic
Galleries of Justice	Nottingham	Nottinghamshire	Historic
Gatehouse	Westminster	London	Historic
Glen Parva	Leicester		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> HMP Fosse Way now stands on the same site.
Gloucester	Gloucester	Gloucestershire	Closed 2013 Open as tourist attraction
Hexham	Hexham	Northumberland	Historic
Holloway	Islington	London	Closed 2016.
Kennet	Maghull	Merseyside	Closed 2016.
King's Bench	Southwark	London	Historic
Kingston	Portsmouth	Hampshire	Closed 2013
Lancaster Castle	Lancaster	Lancashire	Closed 2011, still used as a Crown Court centre
Latchmere House	Richmond upon Thames	London	Closed September 2011, awaiting re-development
Launceston Castle	Launceston	Cornwall	Historic
Lincoln Castle	Lincoln	Lincolnshire	Historic – prison block built 1787, housed prisoners until 1878, now open to the public as a historical visitor attraction
Marshalsea	Southwark	London	Historic
Millbank	Westminster	London	Historic
Newgate	Bristol	Bristol	Historic
Newgate	City of London	London	Historic
Norman Cross	Peterborough	Cambridgeshire	Historic
Northallerton	Northallerton	North Yorkshire	Closed 2014
Poultry Compter	City of London	London	Historic
Prince Rupert's Tower	Liverpool	Merseyside	Historic
Reading	Reading	Berkshire	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Ruthin Gaol	Ruthin	Denbighshire	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Oxford	Oxford	Oxfordshire	Closed 1996, redeveloped as a shopping and heritage complex
Shepton Mallet	Shepton Mallet	Somerset	Closed 2013 Open as tourist attraction
Shrewsbury	Shrewsbury	Shropshire	Closed 2013 Open as tourist attraction
Tothill Fields Bridewell	Westminster	London	Historic
Tower of London	Whitechapel	London	Historic
Wallingford	Wallingford	Oxfordshire	Historic
Weare	Portland	Dorset	Prison Ship – closed 2005
Wellingborough	Wellingborough	Northamptonshire	Closed 2012
Wood Street Counter	Wood Street	London	Historic

Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Prison Service)

The following table lists the three active prisons in Northern Ireland. All three are operated by the Northern Ireland Prison Service. There is also a Juvenile Justice Centre, located in Bangor, County Down, which is operated by the Youth Justice Agency.

Name	Location	County	Capacity	Gender	Juvenile Template:Nowrap	Young offender Template:Nowrap	Adult	Adult security category
MaghaberryHMP Maghaberry	Lisburn	County Antrim	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male	Template:N	Template:N	Template:Y	High<ref name="Maghaberry"/>
MagilliganHMP Magilligan	Limavady	County Londonderry	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male	Template:N	Template:N	Template:Y	Low<ref name="Magilligan"/>
Hydebank WoodHMP Hydebank Wood	Belfast	County Down	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male/Female	Template:N	Template:Y	Template:Y	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
WoodlandsWoodlands JJC	Bangor	County Down	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Male/Female	Template:Y	Template:N	Template:N

Former prisons

Name	Location	County	Notes
Maze	Mazetown	County Down	Began as Long Kesh Detention Centre in 1971, before expanding to become HM Prison Maze in 1976. Well-known during The Troubles, it housed paramilitary prisoners from its establishment until its closure in 2000.
Belfast	Belfast	County Antrim	Also known as the Crumlin Road Gaol. Opened in 1846 and closed in 1996.
Armagh	Armagh	County Armagh	Also known as Armagh Gaol. Dates back to 1780 and closed in 1986. Held predominantly female prisoners.

Scotland (Scottish Prison Service)

Name	Location	Council area	Notes
Addiewell	Addiewell	West Lothian	Private – Sodexo Justice Services
Barlinnie	Riddrie	Glasgow
Castle Huntly	Longforgan	Perth and Kinross
Stirling	Stirling	Stirling	Opened in 2023
Dumfries	Dumfries	Dumfries and Galloway
Edinburgh	Edinburgh	Edinburgh
Glenochil	Tullibody	Clackmannanshire
Grampian	Peterhead	Aberdeenshire
Greenock	Greenock	Inverclyde
Inverness	Inverness	Highland
Kilmarnock	Hurlford, Kilmarnock	East Ayrshire
Low Moss	Bishopbriggs	East Dunbartonshire
Perth	Perth	Perth and Kinross
Polmont	Falkirk	Falkirk	Young Offenders Institute
Shotts	Shotts	North Lanarkshire

Former prisons

Name	Location	Council area	Notes
Aberdeen	Aberdeen	Aberdeen	Closed 2014
Bass Rock	Firth of Forth	East Lothian
Calton Gaol	Edinburgh	Edinburgh	Gaol closed in 1927
Cornton Vale	Stirling	Stirling	Closed in April 2023
Duke Street	Glasgow	Glasgow	Closed 1955, demolished 1958
Inveraray Jail	Inveraray	Argyll and Bute	Historic
Jedburgh Castle	Jedburgh	Scottish Borders	Historic
Noranside	Forfar	Angus	Closed 2011
Peterhead	Peterhead	Aberdeenshire	Closed 2013
Stonehaven Tolbooth	Stonehaven	Aberdeenshire	Historic
The Tolbooth	Aberdeen	Aberdeen	Historic
Old Tolbooth	Edinburgh	Edinburgh	Historic
HM Prison Penninghame	Newton Stewart	Dumfrieshire	Closed 2000
HM Prison Dungavel	Strathaven	South Lanarkshire	Closed 2001
HM Prison Longriggend	Longriggend	North Lanarkshire	Closed 2000
HM Prison Friarton	Perth	Perthshire	Closed 2010
HM Prison Zeist	Utrecht	Netherlands	Closed

Future prisons

Name	Location	Council area	Notes
HM Prison Highland	Inverness	Highland	Planned to open 2026. Replacing HM Prison Inverness.

See also

• United Kingdom prison population
• Slopping out
• Immigration detention in the United Kingdom

External links

• Find a prison – England and Wales
• Scottish Prison Service
• Northern Ireland Prison Service
• Individual histories of Britain's prisons on theprison.org.uk