| General Details, | Inspections |
| Regimes | Visits and getting there |
| Local News | |
Key Contact Details
| Name of Prison | HMP Frankland |
| Address: | Brasside Durham DH1 5YD |
| Other contact details: | |
| Web Site: | |
| Email: | |
| Main switchboard: | 0191 376 5000 |
| At Risk hotline: | |
| Fax: | 0191 376 5001 |
| Visits booking number: | 0191 376 5048 |
| Visits centre web site: | Click here |
| Visits centre number: | 0191 3765200 |
| Type of Prison: | Male High Risk & Standard Cat A, Cat B |
Frankland, at Brasside near Durham, is a Category A high-security prison holding around 850 men, including many serving very long or life sentences for the most serious offences. Its long-term population has included some of the country’s best-known prisoners, and it is sometimes referred to in the press as “Monster Mansion” as a result.
Frankland drew national attention in April 2025 when a prisoner in its separation centre attacked three officers with hot cooking oil and homemade weapons, leaving them with life-threatening injuries; the Ministry of Justice commissioned a review into what happened, though it has kept much of the detail confidential on security grounds, prompting calls from the Prison Officers’ Association for more transparency about what has since changed. Separately, the most recent full inspection, in March 2024, found significant problems with the physical building — leaking roofs, broken heating and damp — more than a quarter of prisoners locked in cells during the working day, insufficient full-time activity places, and inconsistent contact from offender managers on sentence planning.
Given Frankland’s high-security status, visiting and contact procedures are stricter than at most prisons; families should check current requirements carefully using the practical details above.