During a recent week off work I had a few days alone travelling around the far north, and as I was passing I thought it would be rude not to swing by here. I wasn't expecting much from this place, I thought this one would be completely empty and secured. It has been on my list since closure was announced, but being so far and in an area lacking anything else that is decent to visit it was always a drive I put off doing. I am glad I went when I did, they have obviously just started the clear out as 'done 07/19' was written on a few doors. Took a few visits at antisocial hours to get round all of it, this was made a bit more difficult by the ambulance staff still occupying one of the buildings and being there 24/7.
History:
The hospital was financed by Lord Strathcona to serve the population of his native Forres and the surrounding area. It was designed by John Rhind and was named after the farm on which Strathcona had grown up with his mother. It was opened to patients in April 1892. On his death in 1914, Strathcona left a further bequest of £10,000 to the hospital. A maternity wing was added in 1940 and it joined the National Health Service in 1948.
The hospital closed temporarily in January 2011 following an electrical fault but reopened in December 2011 once extensive renovations had been completed. There were only 9 inpatient beds available after it reopened.
NHS Grampian announced in November 2018 that, as they had no means to invest, the hospital which had already been temporarily closed two months earlier would close permanently.
A few old pics and some more info can be found here:
https://historic-hospitals.com/2017/03/12/leanchoil-hospital-forres/
No x-ray machine sadly!
Continued...
History:
The hospital was financed by Lord Strathcona to serve the population of his native Forres and the surrounding area. It was designed by John Rhind and was named after the farm on which Strathcona had grown up with his mother. It was opened to patients in April 1892. On his death in 1914, Strathcona left a further bequest of £10,000 to the hospital. A maternity wing was added in 1940 and it joined the National Health Service in 1948.
The hospital closed temporarily in January 2011 following an electrical fault but reopened in December 2011 once extensive renovations had been completed. There were only 9 inpatient beds available after it reopened.
NHS Grampian announced in November 2018 that, as they had no means to invest, the hospital which had already been temporarily closed two months earlier would close permanently.
A few old pics and some more info can be found here:
https://historic-hospitals.com/2017/03/12/leanchoil-hospital-forres/
No x-ray machine sadly!
Continued...
