Urban explorers have gained entry to the well-secured but disused Camp Hill prison in Newport to give Islanders a video insight into what lies inside the walls.
The chaps behind the Abandoned Isle of Wight YouTube channel have this week released a mini-documentary showing the eerie remains of the former Category C prison, which closed its doors in 2013. The prison was originally opened in 1912 by Winston Churchill.
Under the cover of darkness, the urban explorers scaled a 20ft fence edged with barbed wire to break into the prison – the complete opposite to what you would expect of such an establishment. They carried out a number of visits to enable them to explore the entire site without being detected.
Former HMP Camp Hill is guarded by 2 security guards – night and day – but somehow they did not detect the intruders, who left Camp Hill without causing any damage.
The interesting video shows that the prison remains in fairly good condition, but not ready for immediate occupation should the need arise.
The future of the Camp Hill site near to Parkhurst Forest remains unclear, but the Isle of Wight Council are hoping to acquire the land from the Ministry of Justice for housing.
HMP Isle of Wight – made up of Parkhurst Prison and Albany Prison – is situated just a few hundred metres away from Camp Hill and occupies some of the country’s worst sex offenders.
Well done- very informative and a well produced documentary.
In last Saturdays Telegraph there was an article stating that a prison on the mainland had to replace every single cell door lock due to a breach of security. It woud have been nice for taxpayers to think that they used the locks from the cells at Camp Hill there by saving many thousands of pounds.
Great video. Really interesting.
This article is written as if these people are some sort heroes and that it’s okay to break in to private property just as long as you do it quietly, don’t damage anything and let others have a good nose at the footage. -REALLY??
Hopefully sooner or later they’ll fall from height and break something or gas themselves and then we can find the footage and all have an even better laugh. IDIOTS!
You’re messed up?
Wow I lived on the island all my life and can’t believe what I have learned from these guys , we all know it’s technically trespassing or whatever you want to call it but these buildings are abandoned or waiting to be knocked down I’m glad I had an opportunity to see inside.
I was their in 1977 I escaped from 98 block icklayingiieastchurch got captured over the wire fence I lost 120 days remition and shipped out to IOW Hemphill in reception wing for a week añdy then into st,Michels wing Don most of my sentence wear I took bricklaying city & guilds I got 10 weeks back released 22 May 1999 ì sware I have her ever going back took to bricklaying till I was 60 got m.n.d now I 65 now
Who would want to live so close to Parkhurst & Albany? Surely it’s better to be used as a detention center/prison again . Watching the recent UK prison tv programmes , they have a shortage of prisons?
The breach of security is down to cost cuts , 2 security guards not enough for size of the premises .