A bit of history :
The hospital was designed by George Thomas Hine in 1911 who was responsible for designing more than 20 public asylums in England and Wales.
He designed the hospital using a compact arrow layout,
In 1914 Messrs Evan Thomas & Sons of are contracted to begin work on the building and foundations are laid.
In 1917 work on the hospital is halted due to a shortage of labour during WW1.
In 1932 the hospital is complete and officially opened.
Entertainment being a central part of patient life.
Pianos and gramophones are supplied for all wards in the original building.
A speaker system was installed to allow broadcasts throughout the hospital, which was upgraded in 1951.
The first patients were then admitted, after being transferred by a nearby asylum.
In the opening years, The Hospital establishes an extensive farm on which it keeps livestock and grows fruit and vegetables, much of which are used to feed the patients and staff.
In 1950, cine projection equipment is purchased which allows weekly screenings of films in the William Owen Hall.
Sports and recreation are a central part of life at the Hospital.
And as a result a staff cricket club is formed in 1935.
In 1936 the patient library was stocked with 2000 books.
In 1939 during the second World War It was used as a casualty hospital during the war, 90 beds were made available for Emergency Medical Service.
During air raids in 1941, 180 non military local residents were treated within a 3 day period
In 1956 The Hospital Farm permanently closes, marking a shift away from asylum era psychiatric care.
In 1961 Enoch Powell MP, Minister of Health, visits on a tour of UK psychiatric hospitals. The same year he delivers the infamous Water Tower Speech in which he attacks psychiatric institutions and calls for a transition to community care. This marks a major turning point in psychiatric care in the NHS
In April 1990 the Health Authority begins discussions about the closure of the hospital.
The permanent closure is confirmed in an official report in May 1992.
In 2002, It was reported that the hospital had to lock up patients due to understaffing.
Work started in 2009 to build a modern replacement for mental health accommodation and facilities, Including a block purpose built for patients with dementia, in the same grounds.
Other new builds in the grounds are a 18 bed Rehabilitation Unit, a pub featuring non alcoholic beer and two supported houses for recovering patients preparing to move back home.
In 2010, A Healthcare Inspectorate report was triggered after allegations of sexual abuse by male staff on female patients, which resulted in a criminal conviction.
In 2012 its reported that the hospital is no longer fit for purpose.
In March 2015, the health board's new low secure mental health unit opened replacing some of the old wards
In 2015, It was announced that the phased closure of the Hospital would continue for the next three to five years, with several decommissioned wards planned for demolition that year.
In 2018 All but 2 acute wards close.
The majority of care now takes place in the wider community.
In June 2019, the hospital was one of the filming locations for the Channel 4 drama, The Accident, The series aired on the 24 October 2019.
Today the hospital sits disused and decaying.
The explore :
First stop on a camping weekend in Wales.
After arriving and knowing part of the site was still in use, we didn't want to alert anyone to our presence so decided to head into and through the bushes into the grounds.
After a little look around we found access via a tight squeeze.
We was in, once inside it was a very relaxed explore, staying away from windows that looked out onto the used parts.
It was amazing with the level of natural decay in some parts compared to the cleanliness of other parts.
Some bits still smelt like a hospital too.
We spent a few hours in here getting photos and somewhat getting lost, I did wonder if we would ever find the way out
.
Hope you enjoy the photos, which are uploaded in a random order as I'm currently baby sitting my mums grandchildren
but wanted to get a report up.
This has got to be my favourite picture.
A few hospital beds were left around the hospital.
The place is huge inside and out.
The paint peel adds to the spooky inside a hospital in particular.
A long clean corridor. I assume the cleaner parts were the parts used for filming?
Sea views.
*drinks sold out*
Didn't like this room. My eldest was very ill when a baby and we visited similar.
Gym equipment left behind. Hopefully they recover all the equipment and put it to use somewhere.
Reception area.
I couldn't resist pressing a key.. And let me tell you it echoed up and down those corridors.
Stairwell by reception.
That's all for now.. Have plenty more but picked the best selection for this report, see you on the next.
The hospital was designed by George Thomas Hine in 1911 who was responsible for designing more than 20 public asylums in England and Wales.
He designed the hospital using a compact arrow layout,
In 1914 Messrs Evan Thomas & Sons of are contracted to begin work on the building and foundations are laid.
In 1917 work on the hospital is halted due to a shortage of labour during WW1.
In 1932 the hospital is complete and officially opened.
Entertainment being a central part of patient life.
Pianos and gramophones are supplied for all wards in the original building.
A speaker system was installed to allow broadcasts throughout the hospital, which was upgraded in 1951.
The first patients were then admitted, after being transferred by a nearby asylum.
In the opening years, The Hospital establishes an extensive farm on which it keeps livestock and grows fruit and vegetables, much of which are used to feed the patients and staff.
In 1950, cine projection equipment is purchased which allows weekly screenings of films in the William Owen Hall.
Sports and recreation are a central part of life at the Hospital.
And as a result a staff cricket club is formed in 1935.
In 1936 the patient library was stocked with 2000 books.
In 1939 during the second World War It was used as a casualty hospital during the war, 90 beds were made available for Emergency Medical Service.
During air raids in 1941, 180 non military local residents were treated within a 3 day period
In 1956 The Hospital Farm permanently closes, marking a shift away from asylum era psychiatric care.
In 1961 Enoch Powell MP, Minister of Health, visits on a tour of UK psychiatric hospitals. The same year he delivers the infamous Water Tower Speech in which he attacks psychiatric institutions and calls for a transition to community care. This marks a major turning point in psychiatric care in the NHS
In April 1990 the Health Authority begins discussions about the closure of the hospital.
The permanent closure is confirmed in an official report in May 1992.
In 2002, It was reported that the hospital had to lock up patients due to understaffing.
Work started in 2009 to build a modern replacement for mental health accommodation and facilities, Including a block purpose built for patients with dementia, in the same grounds.
Other new builds in the grounds are a 18 bed Rehabilitation Unit, a pub featuring non alcoholic beer and two supported houses for recovering patients preparing to move back home.
In 2010, A Healthcare Inspectorate report was triggered after allegations of sexual abuse by male staff on female patients, which resulted in a criminal conviction.
In 2012 its reported that the hospital is no longer fit for purpose.
In March 2015, the health board's new low secure mental health unit opened replacing some of the old wards
In 2015, It was announced that the phased closure of the Hospital would continue for the next three to five years, with several decommissioned wards planned for demolition that year.
In 2018 All but 2 acute wards close.
The majority of care now takes place in the wider community.
In June 2019, the hospital was one of the filming locations for the Channel 4 drama, The Accident, The series aired on the 24 October 2019.
Today the hospital sits disused and decaying.
The explore :
First stop on a camping weekend in Wales.
After arriving and knowing part of the site was still in use, we didn't want to alert anyone to our presence so decided to head into and through the bushes into the grounds.
After a little look around we found access via a tight squeeze.
We was in, once inside it was a very relaxed explore, staying away from windows that looked out onto the used parts.
It was amazing with the level of natural decay in some parts compared to the cleanliness of other parts.
Some bits still smelt like a hospital too.
We spent a few hours in here getting photos and somewhat getting lost, I did wonder if we would ever find the way out
.Hope you enjoy the photos, which are uploaded in a random order as I'm currently baby sitting my mums grandchildren
but wanted to get a report up.This has got to be my favourite picture.
A few hospital beds were left around the hospital.
The place is huge inside and out.
The paint peel adds to the spooky inside a hospital in particular.
A long clean corridor. I assume the cleaner parts were the parts used for filming?
Sea views.
*drinks sold out*
Didn't like this room. My eldest was very ill when a baby and we visited similar.
Gym equipment left behind. Hopefully they recover all the equipment and put it to use somewhere.
Reception area.
I couldn't resist pressing a key.. And let me tell you it echoed up and down those corridors.
Stairwell by reception.
That's all for now.. Have plenty more but picked the best selection for this report, see you on the next.
.
I'll have another look in that case.
