Some History
This large psychiatric hospital closed in 2000 due to a combination of factors including its relative isolation and changes to mental health care in England and Wales. Controversially sold to the resident Chief Medical Officer for just £227,000 The slate alone, that was on the roof, was said to be worth £2,000,000(2million!) which was stripped and sold by its owner.
Also know as The Brecon and Radnor Counties Joint Lunatic Asylum. It was opened on 18th March, 1903, by the Rt Hon. Lord Glanusk who said of it "everything has been done that human ingenuity could devise for the happiness and safety of the inmates, and under the blessing of God, for their speedy restoration to health."
Although the population of the two Welsh counties remained small, by the end of 1925, 455 patients were resident. The asylum was designed to be self-sufficient, and had its own private water, electricity, heating and sewerage systems as well as a considerable agricultural estate. As well as wards, the hospital had a large hall, kitchens, workshops, a tailor, bakery, shoe-maker and printing shops as well as 8 acres of market gardens.
Apart from a short spell as a POW camp, the hospital remained as a 'rehabilitation centre' until its closure. During the 1970's & 80's it began downsizing as more effective treatments and better community care became available. In 1994 the number averaged around 140 and wards began closing gradually.
The Visit
This is my 2nd visit here and I went with a friend, Brum. The place is unbelievably huge, we were on site for about 3 hours and only got round 50% at the very most. The place is slowly rotting away and soon will just be a pile of rubble, in some places whole floors had dropped where all that remains are the doors. Most of the inside looks like 1970's decor, it's only really the outside of the building that has any original features left. Anything of any value has long been taken, apart from the hundreds of doors!! There are even some hidden safes that have been angle grinded open. Even the old fireplaces have been ripped out.
Again it's sad to see such a huge bunch of buildings left to rot and in the space of only 5 years, it has gone from being unoccupied but still intact to completely derelict, rotten and damp! I reckon it'll only take a heavy snow to bring some of the roofs down, so if anyone wants to explore this place while it is still standing you're going to have to go soon!
I've put the whole album of high res pics on flickr, 100+ pics. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk5om3sE
This large psychiatric hospital closed in 2000 due to a combination of factors including its relative isolation and changes to mental health care in England and Wales. Controversially sold to the resident Chief Medical Officer for just £227,000 The slate alone, that was on the roof, was said to be worth £2,000,000(2million!) which was stripped and sold by its owner.
Also know as The Brecon and Radnor Counties Joint Lunatic Asylum. It was opened on 18th March, 1903, by the Rt Hon. Lord Glanusk who said of it "everything has been done that human ingenuity could devise for the happiness and safety of the inmates, and under the blessing of God, for their speedy restoration to health."
Although the population of the two Welsh counties remained small, by the end of 1925, 455 patients were resident. The asylum was designed to be self-sufficient, and had its own private water, electricity, heating and sewerage systems as well as a considerable agricultural estate. As well as wards, the hospital had a large hall, kitchens, workshops, a tailor, bakery, shoe-maker and printing shops as well as 8 acres of market gardens.
Apart from a short spell as a POW camp, the hospital remained as a 'rehabilitation centre' until its closure. During the 1970's & 80's it began downsizing as more effective treatments and better community care became available. In 1994 the number averaged around 140 and wards began closing gradually.
The Visit
This is my 2nd visit here and I went with a friend, Brum. The place is unbelievably huge, we were on site for about 3 hours and only got round 50% at the very most. The place is slowly rotting away and soon will just be a pile of rubble, in some places whole floors had dropped where all that remains are the doors. Most of the inside looks like 1970's decor, it's only really the outside of the building that has any original features left. Anything of any value has long been taken, apart from the hundreds of doors!! There are even some hidden safes that have been angle grinded open. Even the old fireplaces have been ripped out.
Again it's sad to see such a huge bunch of buildings left to rot and in the space of only 5 years, it has gone from being unoccupied but still intact to completely derelict, rotten and damp! I reckon it'll only take a heavy snow to bring some of the roofs down, so if anyone wants to explore this place while it is still standing you're going to have to go soon!
I've put the whole album of high res pics on flickr, 100+ pics. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk5om3sE
