HM Prison Northeye

August 2024 | England | Extant

HM Prison Northeye was opened in 1969 on the site of a former RAF mobile radio unit which housed reserve equipment for the Chain Home radar station at nearby Pevensey. It was operated as a Category C training prison.

There were a couple of notable prisoner outbursts – in 1972 its inmates participated in the Prison Strike as part of the campaign Preservation of the Rights of Prisoners. And in 1986, a large proportion of the prison was destroyed when 60 of the 450 inmates rioted over being locked in their cells for 23 hours a day thanks to the prison officers’ overtime ban.

The prison closed in 1992 and became a UAE technical college. This is still evident, with many UAE relics left over including a mosque and foot washing area. This college closed at some point before 2022, when a local councillor announced the site had been bought to be used as an immigrant housing centre. In 2023 it was announced the site would be used to house asylum seekers.

The Explore:

I actually visited this place twice in two weeks – once with Landie_Man and Forbidden3dom, and the next time with my friend Geoff (he was originally meant to come with us on the first trip but was ill) so I covered it quite well! Access was fairly easy given that it was a prison. Security is very much on site though and he likes to drive around randomly. To be honest, it’s likely incredibly boring to secure somewhere like this so I don’t blame him!

After some amusing questions from Landie_Man about how to use a squat toilet which we found near the foot washing station, we started our explore and spent about three hours on site. The medical ward was deeefinitely the highlight of the trip. Some very nice old relics in there to photograph. Enjoy the photos!

Exteriors:

Medical Block:

Higher Security Cell Block:

Recreation Block and Mess Hall: