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United Kingdom · South East England · Kent

HMP Cookham Wood

LocalHighmaleModerateHigh
Verified 22 May 2026 · Data dated 1 Dec 2025
Fresh · 7d ago

Data is aggregated from public sources and may be incomplete or out of date. Always verify with primary sources before acting on any figure. See data sources.

For families

How to send mail, money, and visit HMP Cookham Wood

Step-by-step guidance using the United Kingdom system — addresses, money services, visit booking, what to bring on your first visit.

Open toolkit

UK Local prison operated by HM Prison & Probation Service. Listed in the GOV.UK Find a prison directory.

Background

HM Prison Cookham Wood is an adult Category C prison, using the premises of the original borstal or Young Offenders Institution in the village of Borstal (near Rochester, Kent) in England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison and probation Service.

Source: Wikipedia article lead, CC-BY-SA.

Capacity

188

Current population

—

Occupancy

—

Year opened

1978

Operational

Facility profile

Operator

HM Prison & Probation Service

Population held

male

Opened

1978

Region

South East England

Security level

High

Death-row facility

No

Conditions

HMI Prisons publishes independent inspection reports on roughly a 3-5 year cycle.

Visiting

Visits booked online via the GOV.UK Prison Visits Booking service. Photo ID required. Visit frequency varies by the inmate's IEP level.

Mailing

Format: Prisoner Name & Number, HMP Cookham Wood, HMP Cookham Wood Sir Evelyn Road Rochester Kent ME1 3LU See map. Use Send Money to a Prisoner (GOV.UK) for funds — cash not accepted.

Practical info

Assisted Prison Visits Unit can help with travel costs for eligible families. Email a Prisoner service is available via the official website.

Known issues

Urgent Notification (Feb 2023): inmates locked up for 22+ hours per day; education provision close to non-existent.

Contact & address

HMP Cookham Wood Sir Evelyn Road Rochester Kent ME1 3LU See map, Kent ME1 3LU
01634 202557
Official site

Conditions Risk Score

Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated

20/100
Moderate concern20/100
Overcrowding
0/30
Oversight reports
12/30
Structural flags
5/15
Death signals
0/15
Conditions text
3/10

What the score is responding to:

  • · 1 oversight report in the last 5 years
  • · Substantial documented known-issues record
  • · Severe-conditions keyword in sources

Compared to other facilities in United Kingdom

583 peers
Conditions risk scorethis: 20/100 · peers avg: 4/100 (+449%)

Higher risk than 95% of peer facilities in United Kingdom.

Capacity (beds)this: 188 · peers avg: 642 (71%)

Reports

  • HMI Prisons Urgent Notification15 Feb 2023

    Urgent Notification: children spending 23+ hours per day in cell; education provision close to non-existent; widespread frustration leading to violence.

    source

Data completeness

94%

How many of our profile fields are populated. We surface this so families and researchers know the limits.

Sources