Hellingly Hospital, East Sussex - 1990s - 2000s

[TheTimeChamber]

Yes Winchester your first paragraph sums it all up for me.

Ditto. Great times. There is still good stuff, but it is harder to find, or locked down.

I think it was Kingrat who made it up the tower with someone else from here!

 

[Winchester]

I think he went with Wraith.

 

[tumbles]

This last week has been a proper nostalgia hit - these photos remind me of the early days of exploring when the places we'd go felt like they'd be around for ages. We'd see them change over time, we'd go back year on year, become 'experts' on them in the derelict form, and then when they were knocked down it felt like we'd lost an old friend. Asylums were special because they were huge and a part of local folklore, and they closed as part of a policy change that gave us such a volume of derelict buildings in a way we're unlikely to see again. To catch the tail end of deinstitutionalisation was a treat, and places like Hellingly really got me hooked on exploring asylums. It was a classic.

We got into the chapel one year - quite who was with me is lost to time but I think Sinnerman was there as mentioned above. At some point we heard somebody outside - it sounded like they were unlocking the door so we quickly scampered back the way we came - as they came through the door I went into the vent and lowered the grill, and the alarms started screaming. We shot out through the woods, regrouped and then walked to the cars - and as we drove off, a couple of police cars came round the corner. It always seemed like a place of close shaves.

A few years ago I was in touch with a former nurse at Hellingly, who started in 1955 and told me about his time there, particularly in the 50s and 60s. I'll post some of his stories if people are interested.

Ah yeah might of been you, Scott and Mark perhaps in the chapel. I remember seeing Scott's pics.

 

[Winchester]

I'm pretty sure Mark wasn't with us, but I think Hairy and maybe Jonboy were there.

 

[mockney reject]

Cracking report, I only caught the very end of Hellingly so its good to see more of it

 

[kingrat]

Ditto. Great times. There is still good stuff, but it is harder to find, or locked down.

I think it was Kingrat who made it up the tower with someone else from here!

Morning - did someone mention me?

I'm an old fart these days and my memory isn't what it was, It wasn't Wraith. It was Me, Lutex and A.N. Other, can't for the life of me remember who though (sorry).
I'll try and dig the snaps out later

 

[kingrat]

All I can lay my hands on are these (I see my photography skills are as bad then as they are now - call me consistent)

 

[tumbles]

Fair play, those last couple of row of steps up were absoltuely fecked!

 

[TheTimeChamber]

Morning - did someone mention me?

I'm an old fart these days and my memory isn't what it was, It wasn't Wraith. It was Me, Lutex and A.N. Other, can't for the life of me remember who though (sorry).
I'll try and dig the snaps out later

I must of got your spider senses tingling!

Great shots dude, you crazy fucker

 

[TheTimeChamber]

All I can lay my hands on are these (I see my photography skills are as bad then as they are now - call me consistent)

would you like the before shot from the same spot taken in the 1980s?

 

[mockney reject]

would you like the before shot from the same spot taken in the 1980s?

It still looks all modern and fresh there, almost gives me hope for some of the 90's hospitals lol

 

[raisinwing]

That's awesome, great to see the place over the years!

 

[kingrat]

 

[Camera Shy]

Brilliant mate, loved reading that.

 

[Winchester]

Hello @kingrat , its been a while - look at those cheeky little faces! Hope you're doing well