Jedburgh Castle Jail, located in the Scottish Borders town of Jedburgh, was built in 1823 on the site of the medieval Jedburgh Castle. The imposing Georgian-style building served as a prison until 1886. The jail was designed to implement a new system of incarceration focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment, featuring separate cells and a regime of work, education, and moral instruction.

During its operational years, the jail housed both male and female prisoners, including debtors and criminals. Conditions were harsh, with prisoners enduring cold cells, poor nutrition, and hard labor. Several executions took place at the jail, with the last public hanging occurring in 1868.

The jail’s reputation for paranormal activity has grown since its closure. Numerous ghost sightings and unexplained phenomena have been reported by staff and visitors. One of the most frequently encountered spirits is that of Edwin McArthur, a former prisoner who was executed at the jail in 1855 for murder. Witnesses have described seeing his apparition in the cells and hearing unexplained footsteps.

Another commonly reported entity is a shadowy figure seen moving through the corridors, believed to be a former jailer still carrying out his duties. Visitors have also experienced sudden temperature drops, the sensation of being watched, and objects moving on their own.

The jail’s gallows area is considered a particular hotspot for paranormal activity, with some visitors reporting feelings of dread and oppression. Some have claimed to hear the sounds of chains rattling and muffled cries echoing through the building.

In the former women’s wing, the spirit of a young woman has been seen wandering the cells, believed to be a prisoner who died during childbirth while incarcerated. Reports of disembodied voices, unexplained smells, and doors slamming shut on their own are also common throughout the building.