Shropshire Routes to Roots

Dana Bridge. After walking to the gaol or arriving at the nearby railway station, the people crowded over this bridge to the area in front of the prison, or stayed put, using the bridge as a vantage point for the execution. The authorities were so concerned at the prospect of large crowds congregating here that they had the bridge reinforced prior to the execution of John Mapp.

Shrewsbury Prison, known as Salop Prison at the time of the execution of John Mapp. The view from Dana bridge. The area in front of the prison was crowded for the last public execution in Shropshire.

Front view of the prison. The execution took place on the right hand turret. The statue in the center is of John Howard, the prison reformer. Howard visited Shrewsbury in 1788 and redesigned parts of the prison.

The roof of Shrewsbury Prison. The scaffold was erected on the turret to the right of the statue of John Howard. Although the drop was partially screened, the waited crowds would have had a good view of the execution of John Mapp.