“IS there anybody there?” I whisper into the darkness, silently praying I don’t hear a response.
It’s a Friday night and I’m sitting in the dark in Cornwall’s Bodmin Jail in a bid to make contact with the spirits that apparently roam this former prison.
My husband Paul and I are sampling a thrilling experience, My Haunted Jail — Paranormal Investigation, which runs twice a week.
Upon arrival, visitors are split into pairs and taken to separate parts of the prison before being left to their own devices to see if they can conjure up any ghouls from the past.
Folklore is etched into the facility’s walls.
Built by prisoners of war in 1779, it became Cornwall’s county prison for more than 150 years and 55 public executions took place here.
No wonder people think it’s haunted . . .
One of the most infamous inmates, I learn, was Matthew Weeks, hanged in 1844 for the murder of Charlotte Dymond.
Both spirits have supposedly been spotted on different occasions, with Matthew wandering around pleading his innocence.
Another notable figure is Selina Wadge, who was hanged for the murder of her disabled son in 1878 and whose spirit preys on youngsters visiting the jail.
The only prisoner ever to escape Bodmin was an inmate named Henry.
He allegedly vanished into thin air in 1897 and some believe his spirit still walks the corridors today, trying to find a way out.
We begin our paranormal experience in the naval wing, home to a museum that highlights the original cells and stories of those caged here.
There was a definite ghoulish atmosphere — no surprise when in a cold prison after dark.
While we didn’t experience any chills or things that go bump in the night, many people have reported feeling their clothes being tugged, or claimed to hear children screaming and keys rattling, as well as heavy footsteps.
Every part of the jail has been fitted out with cameras, so any paranormal activity can be caught on film and potentially used on the next My Haunted Project TV show.
Paul was the first to try the Bloody Mary challenge — a trend that’s been doing the rounds for a few years now.
It involves participants trying to summon the ghostly spirit of Bloody Mary by speaking her name three times into a mirror in a dark room.
There have been reports of a shadow appearing or people being pushed and hearing whispers, but much to my relief, nothing materialised. Maybe the ghouls sensed my apprehension?
After trying and failing to summon Bloody Mary, each pair of visitors were given 40 minutes in each section of the jail before being moved on by walkie-talkie in the dark.
Silently, we made our way through the jail, creeping into the administration block and then the courtroom.
It was very hard not to be moved by the stories of the people who were once housed in the prison as we wandered the eerie corridors.
It wasn’t just evil murderers who were locked up there, though — many people were jailed for petty crimes such as theft, as well as for being mentally ill.
In times gone by, there was no segregation, with men and women being caged together — and sometimes kids even accompanied their imprisoned mothers.
Our evening finished at 2.30am and although we didn’t experience any ghostly jumps, I was relieved to escape the damp cells and head to the comfort of a warm hotel room.
Following a £50million makeover in 2021, Bodmin Jail opened 70 lavish bedrooms — all of which are significantly more glamorous than the damp and dingy rooms we’d just been exploring.
Created from three former cells, each room retains original features but has modern-day upgrades and homely touches — thank goodness.
The next day, I learned that our now lovely looking room once housed 17-year-old apprentice, James Grenfell Trewhella.
He was jailed in 1848 for setting fire to a workshop and a carriage owned by his wealthy boss, Penzance coachbuilder John James.
At least he wasn’t convicted of murder, I suppose . . .
GO: BODMIN JAIL, CORNWALL
THE My Haunted Jail – Paranormal Investigation experience runs every Friday and Saturday and costs £50pp.
STAYING THERE: One night’s B&B at the hotel is from £180.
See bodminjail.org.