It’s time for another ‘the pictures make it look so much better than it is’ report. Let’s make no bones about it, the condition of Scott House has deteriorated massively, but if it wasn’t for the delicious paint peel I probably wouldn't have bothered to do a report. It does however give it a vastly different look to previous reports that might be more appealing to those of a decaying persuasion so I thought it worth throwing up. I’m gonna refer you to @5PR1NK5 ’s early report HERE from 2014 which shows it at the total other end of the spectrum. By now it’s suffered fire damage in the central section as well as having been stripped out of internal furnishings, but somehow it still looks nice and gave me my asylum fix over the Christmas period. I’m still pleased to have seen something abandoned at West Park out of principle, even if that’s close to sacrilege to be saying in 2024. This past year I've ended up involved in some of the Epsom asylum history and I feel quite invested in it now. God I'd chop off a vital part of me to go round West Park in its heyday.
The converted admin of West Park in all it's glory. Did anyone even realise it had faux pillars beneath the ivy?
The History
West Park was one of the five Epsom Cluster hospitals serving London County Council, and one of the later asylums to be constructed. In fact it was perhaps the most modern evolution of the traditional echelon-plan asylums, representing a unique transition between the forward-thinking colony plan which separated wards into individual villas, yet retained the echelon layout and Neo-Georgian architecture of those that came before, using outdoor walkways rather than dark indoor corridors. West Park was never officially termed an asylum, instead opening as West Park Mental Hospital, which was becoming increasingly common in an attempt to distance these more modern institutions from the asylums of the Victorian era. However, the expansive institution was an asylum in all but name. Like many asylums, its opening was delayed by WW1 and use as a Canadian war hospital, having been largely complete since 1917 and in planning since 1906. The hospital catered for over 2,000 patients. The hospital became partially disused over the 1990s until full closure in 2003.
Within West Park Hospital lies Scott House. Situated north-west behind the main building, it originally served as the male block of a phthisis (tuberculosis) and dysentery hospital; two common diseases in the early twentieth century that the mental hospital needed the facilities to deal with if its patients got sick. There was also once a female block to the west, with a trio of small interconnected villas in between. At some point, the male block was renamed as Scott House. In its later life, I believe it was used for physiotherapy, and then by the looks of it storage for equipment.
The Explore
So a few days after Christmas in 2023, I went and had a look at the site of Cane Hill and West Park with @KismetJ just to see what was left. We mainly focused on the converted surviving buildings, but I was interested in Scott House for what it’s worth. I did a quick recce on the access but daylight was fading and we were about to head home so we saved it for another day. Exactly a year later we finally got round to doing it. I know it’s not much, but I was pleasantly surprised to still find some sash window goodness and heavy paint peel.
The exterior on the first visit in late 2023.
Inside the western wing.
Looking down the corridor from the western wing towards the centre of the building.
The northern of the rooms off the corridor towards the western end of the building, inc. the remnants of the equipment once inside
and the ripped out windows and doorways likely resulting from an attempt to shift it all.
Looking in from the front entrance.
F you to whoever burnt it and ripped the door off. The answer is probably a random yob and the NHS respectively.
Looking from the entrance passage towards the western wing.
One of the rooms north off of the central passageway. This bit suffered the worst of the damage so I only bothered to photograph a few rooms.
Looking into the eastern wing of the building.
This section had the nicest paint peel and some good sunlight. That tent did feel a bit sus though, didn't fancy opening it.
Toilet block in the eastern wing.
Porch of the eastern wing, presumably for TB patients.
That's all folks, thanks for reading
The converted admin of West Park in all it's glory. Did anyone even realise it had faux pillars beneath the ivy?
The History
West Park was one of the five Epsom Cluster hospitals serving London County Council, and one of the later asylums to be constructed. In fact it was perhaps the most modern evolution of the traditional echelon-plan asylums, representing a unique transition between the forward-thinking colony plan which separated wards into individual villas, yet retained the echelon layout and Neo-Georgian architecture of those that came before, using outdoor walkways rather than dark indoor corridors. West Park was never officially termed an asylum, instead opening as West Park Mental Hospital, which was becoming increasingly common in an attempt to distance these more modern institutions from the asylums of the Victorian era. However, the expansive institution was an asylum in all but name. Like many asylums, its opening was delayed by WW1 and use as a Canadian war hospital, having been largely complete since 1917 and in planning since 1906. The hospital catered for over 2,000 patients. The hospital became partially disused over the 1990s until full closure in 2003.
Within West Park Hospital lies Scott House. Situated north-west behind the main building, it originally served as the male block of a phthisis (tuberculosis) and dysentery hospital; two common diseases in the early twentieth century that the mental hospital needed the facilities to deal with if its patients got sick. There was also once a female block to the west, with a trio of small interconnected villas in between. At some point, the male block was renamed as Scott House. In its later life, I believe it was used for physiotherapy, and then by the looks of it storage for equipment.
The Explore
So a few days after Christmas in 2023, I went and had a look at the site of Cane Hill and West Park with @KismetJ just to see what was left. We mainly focused on the converted surviving buildings, but I was interested in Scott House for what it’s worth. I did a quick recce on the access but daylight was fading and we were about to head home so we saved it for another day. Exactly a year later we finally got round to doing it. I know it’s not much, but I was pleasantly surprised to still find some sash window goodness and heavy paint peel.
The exterior on the first visit in late 2023.
Inside the western wing.
Looking down the corridor from the western wing towards the centre of the building.
The northern of the rooms off the corridor towards the western end of the building, inc. the remnants of the equipment once inside
and the ripped out windows and doorways likely resulting from an attempt to shift it all.
Looking in from the front entrance.
F you to whoever burnt it and ripped the door off. The answer is probably a random yob and the NHS respectively.
Looking from the entrance passage towards the western wing.
One of the rooms north off of the central passageway. This bit suffered the worst of the damage so I only bothered to photograph a few rooms.
Looking into the eastern wing of the building.
This section had the nicest paint peel and some good sunlight. That tent did feel a bit sus though, didn't fancy opening it.
Toilet block in the eastern wing.
Porch of the eastern wing, presumably for TB patients.
That's all folks, thanks for reading
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