👻 Haunted place
Derby Gaol
The gaol that stood on Friar Gate came down long ago, but its cells of 1756 survive — and are still open to anyone who wants to step inside them.
Photo: Wikipedia
The name Derby Gaol has, over the centuries, belonged to five different jails in the city. Today it generally means one of two survivors: the gaol that stood on Friar Gate between 1756 and 1846, whose cells still exist and are open to the public, and the frontage of the Vernon Street prison of 1843, now absorbed into modern commercial use.
It is the Friar Gate cells that draw visitors. The small attraction has assigned a likely location, size and function to each space, and set a modern kitchen and bar alongside them. Reproduction newspaper accounts of the executions line the walls.
In the little garden outside stands a replica of the gallows that once stood in front of the building. It is a quiet spot now, and it makes plain what this place was for.
🔦 You can join an organised ghost hunt here. Companies such as Haunted Happenings and Haunted Heritage run public overnight events at this venue — vigils, séances and all the kit in our sidebar.
Hauntings are told as reported — by owners, guests, guides and investigators — never as fact. The history underneath is often real, and sometimes tragic; we treat it with respect. Background from Wikipedia and the sources listed below.
The history behind the hauntings
Derby's gaols go back further than the Friar Gate building. In 1652 the Cornmarket Gaol, now long gone, held George Fox on charges of blasphemy. Fox went on to found the Religious Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers. It has been alleged that Judge Bennett of Derby coined the word Quaker after Fox bid him 'quake for fear of the Lord', though the phrase had already been used of other religious groups and the etymology is dubious.
The Friar Gate Gaol was authorised by the Derby Gaol Act 1756 and stood until 1846. It was the site of many hangings. Among the notable prisoners recorded at Derby's gaols were Jeremiah Brandreth, held for high treason, and Humphrey Berisford, a recusant. A police museum at the site has since closed.
Its successor, the New County Gaol on Vernon Street, served as the county gaol from 1843. The last public execution in Derby took place there in 1862, when Richard Thorley was hanged for the murder of Eliza Morrow; the last person hanged there was William Slack, on 16 July 1907, for the murder of Lucy Wilson. From 1919 to 1929 the building was used as a military prison before being decommissioned. After demolition the site became Derby Greyhound Stadium and now holds offices, with the historical facade still standing.
The ghosts of Derby Gaol
1 reported apparition, as the stories are told.
👻 The cells themselves
The surviving cells, Friar Gate
We would rather be honest than pad this out: the historical record we are drawing on tells the story of the gaol and its executions, but it hands down no named ghost, no dated sighting and no particular apparition for us to pass on. What draws people here is the place itself — cells that genuinely survive from 1756, in a building that saw many hangings. Organised public ghost hunts are held at the venue, and whatever visitors make of the dark and the quiet remains their own account rather than one we can report.
Derby Gaol in photos
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Visiting Derby Gaol
The Friar Gate cells are open to the public as a small attraction, with reproduction newspaper accounts of the executions displayed on the walls and a replica gallows in the garden outside. A modern kitchen and bar sit alongside the historic rooms. Allow time to read the accounts properly; they are the heart of the visit, and they concern real people who died here.
Organised public ghost hunts are run at the venue, which is the usual way to spend a longer stretch of the night in the cells. Book ahead and dress warmly. While you are in Derby, the Vernon Street facade is worth a short detour, though the prison behind it is long gone and the site now holds offices.
Where to stay near Derby Gaol
Nearest first — every distance measured from Derby Gaol itself. Make a weekend of it.
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Derby Gaol: your questions answered
Can you go inside the old cells at Derby Gaol? ＋
Yes. The gaol stood on Friar Gate from 1756 to 1846, and its cells still exist and are open to the public as a small attraction, with a modern kitchen and bar alongside.
Are ghost hunts held at Derby Gaol? ＋
Yes, organised public ghost hunts are held at the venue. Booking in advance is advisable.
Who were the most notable prisoners held at Derby Gaol? ＋
Jeremiah Brandreth, held for high treason, and Humphrey Berisford, a recusant. Earlier, at the Cornmarket Gaol in 1652, George Fox — later founder of the Quakers — was imprisoned on charges of blasphemy.
What happened to the Vernon Street prison? ＋
It served as the county gaol from 1843, then as a military prison from 1919 to 1929 before being decommissioned. After demolition the site became Derby Greyhound Stadium and now contains offices, though the historical facade still remains.
Your experiences at Derby Gaol
Been on the tour, stayed the night, felt the cold spot for yourself? Tell the next visitor what happened — and if nothing did, that counts too.
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Sources and further reading
- Derby Gaol — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Researched by the BritStays Haunted Britain team; last updated 7 October 2026. Spotted something we've got wrong, or have your own story from Derby Gaol? We'd love to hear it.