Report - Ayrshire Central Hospital, Irvine - November 2019

[mookster]

Cheers guys...only thing I can implore to anyone thinking of going here is wear a sodding mask of some kind

 

[Calamity Jane]

Just the right amount of decay and nastiness to make it superb. Very atmospheric, like a horror set. Peely paint goodness. :

 

[Bugsuperstar]

That’s a great looking building. Top report mate.

 

[albino-jay]

Love this mate

 

[gv23]

Nice to see it again.. I was born in there!

 

[Emma Ritchie]

Ayrshire Central Hospital, also called Irvine Central Hospital, was designed in 1935 by county architect William Reid in the International Modernist style. It replaced the smaller infectious disease hospitals scattered across the county and was split into two halves with the maternity section opened in 1941 and the infectious disease section following in 1944. When Tuberculosis was on the decline the infectious disease parts of the hospital gradually specialised in different things before becoming a wholly general hospital with each ward pavillion adopting different functions. Between 2010 and 2012 the Grade B listed buildings on site were refurbished and modernised, however during that time the original 1941 maternity building was demolished. A new, much larger set of buildings was constructed adjacent to it dealing with general outpatient treatment and rehabilitation which opened in 2016.

I can only assume that this portion of the site was closed during the 2010 renovations, it's a large building right at the far end of the site with only the wasteland from the demolished maternity hospital between it and the remaining original buildings. The original buildings, including this one, are to me stunning examples of the Modernist style of architecture and it's a crime that this building has been so neglected whilst the others were refurbished. I'd go as far as saying it's one of the most challenging places I've ever shot personally because pretty much the whole building is pitch black, it's full of sketchy floors away from the corridors and stairs and is by far the mouldiest place I have ever seen - some of the mould growth in here is truly horrifying and I am still feeling the effects of the place now.

The good thing is, the decay in here is incredible. Its simply been left to rot with very little outside interference and if you can stomach the mould and the darkness is a very nice place for a wander and I'm amazed it hasn't been visited more.

We decided to take some externals the afternoon prior to actually exploring it which turned out to be a good call, as we wanted to get in there early the next morning. After narrowly avoiding security speeding around in a white van we were in undetected and left undetected also.

Thanks for looking ​

my granny was born here on 20th November 1951 and came accross this whilst doing research. had no idea it was abandoned. so cool!

 

[ruggedscot]

I served my time there many years ago... some good times there. It was a maternity hospital with a special care baby unit. had a theatre aswell. a few other clinics there.