Camp 020R was mainly used for long term detention, but Rudolf Hess was said to be held there briefly on his way south after he parachuted into Scotland in 1941.

An October 2002 report by His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons heavily criticised Huntercombe for being severely overcrowded.

[1] In April 2007 a report from the Independent Monitoring Board stated that Huntercombe was failing in its central purpose to rehabilitate inmates.

[2] In February 2012 the Ministry of Justice announced a gradual transition to foreign national offenders only and the prison now holds a solely foreign-national population mainly awaiting deportation.

The visits room has a small children's play area, toilets and nappy changing facilities.