| General Details | Inspections |
| Visits and getting there | Regimes |
| Work and education | |
Key data and contact details
| Name or Prison | HMP & YOI Stoke Heath |
| Address: | Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 2JL |
| Other contact details: | not available |
| Web Site: | not available |
| Email: | not available |
| Main switchboard: | 01630 636 000 |
| At Risk hotline: | |
| Fax: | 01630 636 001 |
| Visits booking number: | 0300 0606506 |
| Visits booking email: | westmidlands@noms.gsi.gov.uk |
| Visits booking txt number: | not available |
| Type of Prison: | Cat C male and Young Adult |
It also has a small remand function, taking prisoners from three part-time courts (Llandrindod Wells, De Maldwyn and Welshpool).
HMP&YOI Stoke Heath, in Shropshire, was built in 1964 as a Category C prison before converting to a borstal just two years later, and it held young offenders exclusively until 2011. It is now a closed Category C prison with a small Category D unit, holding both adult men and young adults, with a capacity of around 782.
HM Inspectorate of Prisons visited in February and March 2026 and found safety had declined to “not sufficiently good” since a 2023 inspection, while respect remained “reasonably good” and purposeful activity stayed “poor”. Preparation for release did improve, to “reasonably good”. Inspectors found illicit drugs, particularly psychoactive substances, remained too freely available, self-harm rates were very high with insufficient prevention work, and there were not enough full-time education places, with weak provision for reading support. The report noted leadership showed promise but that significant work remained to bring down drug availability and increase meaningful activity.
Given these findings, families in touch with someone at Stoke Heath may find it worth asking directly about wellbeing and access to activities during visits — the contact details above are the best way to arrange this.