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URGENT LETTERS FROM THE PRISON INSPECTORS TO MoJ
Key Contact Details
| Name of Prison | HMP Exeter |
| Address: | 30 New North Road Exeter EX4 4EX |
| Other contact details: | |
| Web Site: | |
| Email: | |
| Main switchboard: | 01392 415650 |
| At Risk hotline: | n/a |
| Fax: | 01392 415691 |
| Visits booking number: | 01392 415 833 |
| Visits booking email: | socialvisits.exeter@hmps.gsi.gov.uk |
| Visits booking web site: | www.gov.uk/prison-visits |
| Visits centre web site: | Click here |
| Visits centre number: | 01392 415972 |
| Type of Prison: | Male Cat B |
Exeter is a Victorian Category B local and reception prison, built in 1853 to a design based on Pentonville, serving the courts of Devon and Cornwall. Its long history includes holding the suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst in 1913, and the notorious case of John Babbacombe Lee, whose execution in 1885 was abandoned after the scaffold trap door failed three times.
The most recent inspection, in November and December 2025, rated Exeter “not sufficiently good” for safety and purposeful activity, “reasonably good” for respect, and “good” for preparation for release. Inspectors found leadership had improved substantially under the current governor, and praised strong resettlement work and support for foreign national prisoners, but recorded seven self-inflicted deaths since the previous inspection, a 30% rise in use of force, and severe overcrowding, with 84% of prisoners sharing cells built for one. Education attendance also remained too low.
Given the level of overcrowding found, families may want to ask directly about a prisoner’s living arrangements and wellbeing, alongside using the practical visiting and contact details above.