Littledean Jail

I had seen the website for Littledean last year (not quite sure how I came across it originally) and finally got round to going. I took my dad as a birthday treat! My partner and two kids came too. My kids are aged 12 and 6. Some parts of the museum aren't suitable for very young children but some things are shut behind separate doors. We were warned upon entry and warnings are displayed around the museum.
We didn't spend a very long time there. Only about an hour and a half but it didn't seem that long. There is a lot to see. The one thing which disappointed me, though, was that the place itself isn't anywhere near as scary as the website seems to present it! However, I am not sure if my 6 year old became possessed during our visit!
The location is nice as well. Right in the forest of dean. So it was ideal to go into the forest for a picnic after we'd been to the museum.

It was a very enjoyable experience except when someone spilled coffee on me and I had to go to the hospital other than that it was good looking at the jail cells

This has to be the most fascinating and revolting museum I have ever been to . It should be a compulsory visit for all those who think religion is wonderful . It's a history of all the most evil things that have happened in the world and the fight against the perpetrators . It's stomach churning in places . You will leave it with all innocence gone .

I wouldn't recommend this place. Real horror (murder, death camps etc) mixed with fantasy mixed with natural oddities. I wont be going back. Certainly not somewhere to take the children.
The building is interesting though, as is the exhibition and information on guillotines outside.

Aptly named as the Alcatraz of the Forest, Littledean Jail is a formidable, yet impressive 18th century Grade II* listed building that used to be a prison dating back to 1791.


Nowadays this former House of Correction is famous world-wide for it's extraordinary, privately owned 'Crime Through Time' collection of crime memorabilia. A fascinating compilation of bizzare curiosities, and freakish oddities are just a few of the things that await you.


Open to the public, Littledean Jail makes for a truely memorable, if not awe-inspiring day out, although due to the exraordinary number of macabre contents I would recommend this for adults & families of older children only, as some of the exhibits on display are pretty gruesome.


The building is immense, as are the grounds with it's various outbuildings. Making your enterance through the austere looking gate-way, you will immediately feel the stark severity of what the conditions must have been like for the inmates. As you walk around, the atmospheric aura of the sorrow & unhappiness endured here seems to seep into your bones,


Despite my feelings of these melancholy conditions I really enjoyed my visit here, and was very thought provoking to say the least.

Fantastic day out - give yourself a full day if you can ie go for a half day then do have lunch then go back and I bet you'll discover things you didn't see first time around.


Some weird stuff - two headed baby goats. Some revolting - Fred West's shovel, NAZI/Mosley stuff, shrunken heads - but all unique.


If it's quiet ask the person on the door about things - very knowledgeable. I did and found out about the pros and cons and different ways of hanging people and the british german NAZI uniform stuff I would never have picked up from the exhibits as there is too much to see.


Kids - We were given ample warning at the door that it could scare kids - well done to the door man for the warning - there is no excuse for not knowing what to expect. A lot of the stuff went over my 7 year old's head - but I did have to explain about slavery etc.


On the negative side - no cafe - but there are places to eat locally. Quadrophenia exhibit is behind glass and I wanted to sit on the GS (if you're into scooters you'll know what I mean!).


Ways to make it better - I'd pay extra for a guided tour!


All in all a fantastic day out - I'll be back again when we're down that way.