HMP Pentonville

 

Key Contact Details

Name of Prison HMP Pentonville
Address: Caledonian Road
London
N7 8TT
Other contact details:
Web Site:
Email:
Main switchboard: 020 7023 7000
At Risk hotline: 0207 023 7096
Fax: 020 7023 7001
Visits booking number: 020 7023 7251
Visits booking email: socialvisits.pentonville@hmps.gsi.gov.uk
Visits booking web site: www.gov.uk/prison-visits
Visits centre number: 020 7609 3860
Visits centre web site: www.spurgeons.org/hmp-pentonville
Type of Prison: Male Cat B Local

 

The prison is run by HMPS as part of the London Region. It has a capacity of 1310 and the #1 governor is called Ian Blakeman, who has been in charge since December 2019.

 

HMP Pentonville opened in 1842, designed by Captain Joshua Jebb for prisoners serving sentences or awaiting transportation, and its distinctive central hall with radiating wings became a model copied by prisons across the world. It remains a Category B local prison holding remand and convicted men from London’s courts, with a capacity of around 1,310 — more than double what it was originally built to hold.

The Independent Monitoring Board’s 2024–25 annual report described a leadership team pushing hard for improvement, but found this was being undermined by severe overcrowding and ageing, crumbling buildings. New arrivals often found their cells lacking basic items like pillows and kettles, and pest infestations remained a persistent problem, with the Board’s chair warning that inadequate investment in the Victorian buildings meant prisoners were living in unacceptable conditions. There were some positive developments, including extra staff for violence reduction work, a dedicated wing for neurodivergent prisoners, and a new wing specifically for men convicted of sexual offences to give more predictable routines.

For families staying in touch with someone at Pentonville, the contact details above remain the best way to arrange a visit and check on their wellbeing.