The Explore
Have attempted this quite a few times from different approaches but only been successful twice, we went a couple of weeks ago and managed to get on site undetected up to G block, but then walked out into the middle of a National Heritage Open Day, they weren’t impressed!
Always find it easier to do at night here, got in but security were on us from the start, we decided to just go for it so we did a lot of running and hiding and avoiding torch light for almost two hours before being able to find the entry point and get inside, at one point we were around 20 metres from access and had to hide in the grass, security literally walked right next to us we thought it was game over, how he didn’t see us I don’t know! So as he walked behind us we legged it inside, could still see their torches looking for us from the windows.
I absolutely loved this explore and I’m pretty sure it’s not the last time we will go. When we came out we headed to the mortuary and within minutes security were back, we ended up having a chat with them for around half an hour, absolutely sound guys, if only all were like these two!
The History
After submissions to King George II, led by the Earl of Sandwich and the Admiralty, planning for the hospital commenced in 1745. Haslar was to be one of three proposed hospitals to provide care for sailors of the Fleet. The building of the hospital took 16 years and was completed in 1762 at a cost of £100,000.
Haslar was designed by Theodore Jacobsen, FRS, in the manner of the Foundling Hospital (London). Building was under the direction of James Horne, a surveyor, and John Turner, a Master Carpenter from Portsmouth Dockyard. Although no record of a formal opening of the Royal Hospital Haslar can be traced, it is believed to have opened on the 12th October 1753.
Many famous men and women have served at Haslar, among them James Lind, the ‘father of nautical medicine’ who discovered a cure for scurvy. Lind continued his studies whilst Senior Physician at Haslar, for in his time ships routinely landed with many of their crew suffering from scurvy. In 1797 the First Lord of the Admiralty visited Haslar and asked to see a case of scurvy, but not one could be found.
St Luke’s church was built facing the quadrangle, completed in 1762. It served staff, their families and patients. Surgical and Medical patients were to be seated either side of the nave with staff and labourers seated in the gallery.
During the nineteenth century many Army casualties from the Peninsular campaign (1809), the Battle of Waterloo (1815) and the Crimean War (1853-56) were admitted and treated at Haslar. Such was the fine treatment given by Haslar to the Army that the hospital was held up as a shining light to Nursing by the Army authorities.
Research estimates that the Paddock burial area and the Memorial Gardens (opened 1826-59) contain the remains of some 13,000 sailors and soldiers who served their country through a century of conflict from 1753 -1859. It is thought that there is nowhere within the United Kingdom where those who served their country lie so close, brothers in arms in death as in life.
During the many wars of the twentieth century and especially the First and Second World Wars, Haslar was a busy hospital. During and after D-Day, both Allied and enemy Troops were treated at Haslar in great numbers, and Royal Navy surgeons were joined by US Army surgeons in treating the wounded.
During the many wars of the twentieth century and especially the First and Second World Wars, Haslar was a busy hospital. During and after D-Day, both Allied and enemy Troops were treated at Haslar in great numbers, and Royal Navy surgeons were joined by US Army surgeons in treating the wounded.
Picture of an operating theatre taken around 1918
Open air tuberculosis ward
Surgical ward
Have attempted this quite a few times from different approaches but only been successful twice, we went a couple of weeks ago and managed to get on site undetected up to G block, but then walked out into the middle of a National Heritage Open Day, they weren’t impressed!
Always find it easier to do at night here, got in but security were on us from the start, we decided to just go for it so we did a lot of running and hiding and avoiding torch light for almost two hours before being able to find the entry point and get inside, at one point we were around 20 metres from access and had to hide in the grass, security literally walked right next to us we thought it was game over, how he didn’t see us I don’t know! So as he walked behind us we legged it inside, could still see their torches looking for us from the windows.
I absolutely loved this explore and I’m pretty sure it’s not the last time we will go. When we came out we headed to the mortuary and within minutes security were back, we ended up having a chat with them for around half an hour, absolutely sound guys, if only all were like these two!
The History
After submissions to King George II, led by the Earl of Sandwich and the Admiralty, planning for the hospital commenced in 1745. Haslar was to be one of three proposed hospitals to provide care for sailors of the Fleet. The building of the hospital took 16 years and was completed in 1762 at a cost of £100,000.
Haslar was designed by Theodore Jacobsen, FRS, in the manner of the Foundling Hospital (London). Building was under the direction of James Horne, a surveyor, and John Turner, a Master Carpenter from Portsmouth Dockyard. Although no record of a formal opening of the Royal Hospital Haslar can be traced, it is believed to have opened on the 12th October 1753.
Many famous men and women have served at Haslar, among them James Lind, the ‘father of nautical medicine’ who discovered a cure for scurvy. Lind continued his studies whilst Senior Physician at Haslar, for in his time ships routinely landed with many of their crew suffering from scurvy. In 1797 the First Lord of the Admiralty visited Haslar and asked to see a case of scurvy, but not one could be found.
St Luke’s church was built facing the quadrangle, completed in 1762. It served staff, their families and patients. Surgical and Medical patients were to be seated either side of the nave with staff and labourers seated in the gallery.
During the nineteenth century many Army casualties from the Peninsular campaign (1809), the Battle of Waterloo (1815) and the Crimean War (1853-56) were admitted and treated at Haslar. Such was the fine treatment given by Haslar to the Army that the hospital was held up as a shining light to Nursing by the Army authorities.
Research estimates that the Paddock burial area and the Memorial Gardens (opened 1826-59) contain the remains of some 13,000 sailors and soldiers who served their country through a century of conflict from 1753 -1859. It is thought that there is nowhere within the United Kingdom where those who served their country lie so close, brothers in arms in death as in life.
During the many wars of the twentieth century and especially the First and Second World Wars, Haslar was a busy hospital. During and after D-Day, both Allied and enemy Troops were treated at Haslar in great numbers, and Royal Navy surgeons were joined by US Army surgeons in treating the wounded.
During the many wars of the twentieth century and especially the First and Second World Wars, Haslar was a busy hospital. During and after D-Day, both Allied and enemy Troops were treated at Haslar in great numbers, and Royal Navy surgeons were joined by US Army surgeons in treating the wounded.
Picture of an operating theatre taken around 1918
Open air tuberculosis ward
Surgical ward
