Report - Dislingbury Isolation Hospital, Capel - Jan 2021

[ultimateninjaworrier]

Hello all. My first (rather pedestrian) report.

The What, the Where, the How:

Dislingbury Isolation Hospital was one of a pair in the Parish of Capel that was constructed just around 1919 for the treatment of Smallpox, Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever. The Isolation Hospitals Act of 1893 compelled local authorities to build or supply small hospitals for the treatment of infectious diseases. They were usually rudimentary small wards, built as separate modular buildings to limit cross infection. Usually little more than corrugated iron huts with some token insulation for Edwardian levels of comfort.

The formation of the NHS in 1948 wound down many of these hospitals, but I'm aware of one person in the village who had a stay there for Scarlet fever in the late fifties/early sixties, so they hung on.

Dislingbury Hospital (named after the lane it is off which has now changed title), was erected in the twilight of the Spanish Flu epidemic and the Great War. So consider this essentially a vintage Nightingale Hospital (*airhorn* current affairs angle *airhorn*).

It reverted back to being a farm with the ward huts themselves being a nursery and an art studio for a while, but it has been pretty much dormant for 30 years.

This place in particular was built around a 17th century farm house which is unfortunately in rack and ruin, thoroughly boarded up, and in the process of renovation so sadly no interior shots.

I'd been meaning to check this place out for a while but wasn't too sure of its exact siting. My derps these days are limited to where I can slip around with the dog and claim "sorry mate he chased a squirrel in here" with a straight face if caught. On this occasion he did it for real and uncovered this spot for me, so apologies for the phone-only pics!

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The iron sheeting has retained quite a nice teal colour that looks quite washed out on my phone, and the cheeky little triangular dormer skylights are nice touch.​

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Sadly the back end has almost completely fallen out.

The two tone walls remind me of the inside of the insides of battery plotting rooms like at Hougham/Lydden in Dover.​

The shitter.

Creepy doll theme because of course there is......​

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Despite being more full of holes than a Tory Christmas party alibi, it feels like it could once have managed to be cosy...
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Given how longs it's been vacant, the lack of graffiti it actually quite impressive. Either that or there's no longer enough walls.....

Thanks for looking.







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[Mikeymutt]

I really like corrugated buildings. So the exterior of this place really does it for me.

 

[mookster]

Nice, not seen that before. Looks like the land was being cleared for demolition?

 

[Bazza74]

Nice to see something a bit different

 

[ultimateninjaworrier]

Nice, not seen that before. Looks like the land was being cleared for demolition?

Alas highly likely, hoarding has gone up and access is more difficult. However, its part of an estate just up the road. The main house there is a whimsical gothic thing that would be an absolute gem in itself but is still occupied. The family who own it have their priorities on that first so progress on the hospital is slow going. Planning a wander by soon to see if the ward huts have gone yet.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Agreed I like that shame it cant be saved

 

[Calamity Jane]

Nice this, something different. Dont think Ive seen this either before. Whats the update on it?

 

[Jane Doe]

very nice report and photos

 

[MaisiePussCat]

I discovered this site and hence your post whilst looking up the history of the Isolation Hospital because my paternal grandfather’s sister and her husband lived and worked there until it closed. In the 1939 register (see below) they were the only listed residents.
I still live locally, as do my parents and was very interested to see such recent photos. I had no idea the place was even still standing. As soon as I get the opportunity, I’ll show my Dad. No doubt he will have tales to tell about it as he is still full of stories told to him by his Dad.
I shall follow the thread with interest as I’d love to see more and don’t have an excuse such as yours to go wandering in there.

 

[justin7770]

Alas highly likely, hoarding has gone up and access is more difficult. However, its part of an estate just up the road. The main house there is a whimsical gothic thing that would be an absolute gem in itself but is still occupied. The family who own it have their priorities on that first so progress on the hospital is slow going. Planning a wander by soon to see if the ward huts have gone yet.

i lived in this house when in was a kid.

 

[MaisiePussCat]

Anyone been back here at all?

 

[justin7770]

I'm hoping to go look this month it makes me sad my childhood home has become like this .
I'll have to see if my mum has any pics from back in the day i know she still has a painting of the house (one of them overhead pics).

 

[justin7770]

Here’s a ariel view picture of dislingbury when I lived there