Report - Promis Rehabilitation Centre, Nonington, Kent - February 2013

sirjonnyp · Feb 10, 2013

I've been a bit lazy getting around to this report. We went out last Saturday for a few sites, this being the first and an idea of Starlight2099's. We initially struggled to find some history on the place, but after a bit more research we got this:

Mrs. Hammond and her daughters (old owners of the grounds) finally sold the estate by auction in 1938. and St. Alban’s Court house, along with some parkland, and Old Court House were bought by Miss Gladys Wright on behalf of the English Gymnastics Society. During the Second World War part of the new house was used as offices for Eastry Rural District Council.

In 1951 Kent County Council took over and founded Nonington College of Physical Education to train P.E. teachers. After some 35 years as one of the top teacher training colleges N.C.P.E was closed by K.C.C. in 1985 due to financial cut-backs.

Old Court House had been an annexe of the college and in 1986 it became the Promis Recovery Centre, a once renowned private rehabilitation clinic, which went into liquidation in 2008. Old Court House was then left empty and was subsequently badly damaged by fire in late August, 2009.

In 1986, together with his wife Margaret, Dr Lefever established The PROMIS Recovery Centre in Nonington, Kent. PROMIS has treated over 5,000 patients, it offers extensive experience in treating many addictive and associated problems relating to; alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, stress and depression. PROMIS provides residential primary treatment, secondary care, detox, counselling and aftercare as well as a dedicated young persons and family programme.

The site can be seen in use in this video: The Clinic - Episode 1 - PROMIS, Nonington, Kent - YouTube

Apparently the place is now owned by a bank. There's a caravan that is live-in pikie security with a great big dog, but fortunately they didn't bother us, and we didn't bother them.

Alarms rang a bit when we got in and saw the lights on, but there was no one about inside. The site is basically split into two, the older half having been burnt and in very bad condition, the modern half undamaged. It looked like it's being renovated, as it has been stripped of original features, a few of the floorboards were up, and there were lightbulb packets everywhere. It's a shame that it wasn't more interesting inside really. Made for a nice explore all the same, mind.