Gisburne Park Hospital
The Manor of Gisburne was first acquired by the Lister family in 1614 but the family only moved from Arnoldsbiggin to Lower Hall, Gisburne in 1706. The present hall was built between 1727 and 1736 by Thomas Lister with two storeys to an H-shaped floor plan, the south frontage having nine bays, the central three recessed, all pebbledashed with sandstone dressings and hipped slate roof. The estate then passed from father to son through Thomas (1723–1761), also MP for Clitheroe from 1745 to 1761, to Thomas (1752-1826), MP for Clitheroe from 1773 to 1790 who in 1797 was created Baron Ribblesdale. He was followed in turn by Thomas, the second Baron Ribblesdale, then Thomas, the third Baron and finally Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale. On the fourth baron's death in 1925 part of the estate had to be sold to cover death duties. He had two sons, both of whom had been killed in action, one in the Boer War and the other in the first World War and he was survived only by his two sisters. On their deaths in 1944, the remaining estate was sold to the Hindley family, one of the founders of the British Home Stores. In October 1985, Gisburne Park house was converted and extended to become an independent private hospital and rehabilitation centre, with Christopher Hindley being its chairman and later its executive director. In 1995 the house and adjacent land was sold and became the BMI Gisburne Park Hospital.
The hospital only recently closed it's doors on the 31st March 2021 “Following a careful review of the hospital’s activity and changing local needs, it was believed that the most appropriate option for staff and patients was to cease services at the hospital. The services have moved to the BMI Beardwood Hospital in Blackburn, where patients have fast access to appointments and there is a major investment programme. All of these services continue at BMI Beardwood Hospital, with appointments available within days, both in person and on video.”
The journey of cracking Gisburne Park began about 2 years ago just after it had closed. It was one of those places I just happened to stumble across online and we checked it out fairly quickly with the usual suspects; @UrbandonedTeam, @huyt.urb, and @little_ boy_explores. After two visits and encounters with a 24/7 security team living inside on both occasions, it was looking like the chances of seeing inside of the hospital within 2021 were slim. The site had stayed in the back of mine and LBE's mind but it was never properly attempted until security finally moved out after an auction of the equipment inside had wrapped up. Knowing an auction had taken place sort of disheartened me a little thinking that there wouldn't be much point to returning anytime soon. The only thing that had kept me interested in it was the glimpses of the architecture inside the main hall that I had spotted from walking around the outside.
2023 came around and @UrbandonedTeam, @huyt.urb and a non-member were in the area and I had proposed a visit to see how the site was doing. One pleasant thing about this explore is the location. Upon being questioned by the park ranger as we drove on site we had moved on to a local establishment and came across a friendly deer before sneaking through holiday home gardens and onto the frosty fields of the park. The 4 of us meandered our way to the front of the site following the route we had years prior before heading for an open front door that LBE had tipped us off about (sorry lad). This was into the smaller and newer addition to the hospital that housed facilities like occupational therapy. Moments after stepping through the front door, the same ranger that had spoke to us before appeared out the front of the building but to only get into his small digger and drive off into the distance. From here on out we had a very relaxing time.
External of the newer building.
We had seen some snaps from LBE of the inside and knew not to expect too much. There appeared to be some sort of isolation room that was very cell like but the rest was mediocre at best. The signs of prison-like cells made sense judging by the external façade of the hospital. All the gardens/outdoor spaces were fenced off with cameras facing in every direction and they even had a gated main entrance for patients arriving at this section of the hospital that highly resembled a prison.
More externals:
Finally inside:
After a swift run around of OT and the rest, we set our sights to the main section. We had yet to see any of the interior of the manor as we had no updates from LBE as to whether he had found a way into the main building. The only idea of what was inside was from glances inside on previous attempts but knew it would be better than what we had just bothered to photograph.
One final external of the main building.
We began on the extremities of the hospital which was a good all things considered as it brought us straight into the truly hospitalised sections of the manor. The long corridor on the ground floor seemed to house patients in rooms similar to those we had seen minutes ago but as we progressed, we began to see door signs for x-ray department, and theatres which was more than we had hoped for.
Patient room.
The x-ray room was stripped. We had rushed into this room after discovering it mid way down the corridor to be greeted with an empty room and only markings of where the x-ray machine would have once sat.
At this point I think we all thought that we were once again slightly late and that any more hospital remnants would be long gone but the theatres made up for the x-ray removal.
There were two theatres and one with power which was a very nice surprise after all.
Not long after exiting the theatres, the entire layout and design of the hospital shifted. It was clear that there had been some major renovations to the theatre and x-ray section as we entered a fully preserved 1700s manor.
The main entrance.
This room and others that ran across the front of the building had remains of gym and sleeping equipment that the security had most likely used in their lengthy stay here.
More evidence of security.
The main lobby.
Other rooms that had no clues left behind as to what they were used as most recently:
To be continued...
The Manor of Gisburne was first acquired by the Lister family in 1614 but the family only moved from Arnoldsbiggin to Lower Hall, Gisburne in 1706. The present hall was built between 1727 and 1736 by Thomas Lister with two storeys to an H-shaped floor plan, the south frontage having nine bays, the central three recessed, all pebbledashed with sandstone dressings and hipped slate roof. The estate then passed from father to son through Thomas (1723–1761), also MP for Clitheroe from 1745 to 1761, to Thomas (1752-1826), MP for Clitheroe from 1773 to 1790 who in 1797 was created Baron Ribblesdale. He was followed in turn by Thomas, the second Baron Ribblesdale, then Thomas, the third Baron and finally Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale. On the fourth baron's death in 1925 part of the estate had to be sold to cover death duties. He had two sons, both of whom had been killed in action, one in the Boer War and the other in the first World War and he was survived only by his two sisters. On their deaths in 1944, the remaining estate was sold to the Hindley family, one of the founders of the British Home Stores. In October 1985, Gisburne Park house was converted and extended to become an independent private hospital and rehabilitation centre, with Christopher Hindley being its chairman and later its executive director. In 1995 the house and adjacent land was sold and became the BMI Gisburne Park Hospital.
The hospital only recently closed it's doors on the 31st March 2021 “Following a careful review of the hospital’s activity and changing local needs, it was believed that the most appropriate option for staff and patients was to cease services at the hospital. The services have moved to the BMI Beardwood Hospital in Blackburn, where patients have fast access to appointments and there is a major investment programme. All of these services continue at BMI Beardwood Hospital, with appointments available within days, both in person and on video.”
The journey of cracking Gisburne Park began about 2 years ago just after it had closed. It was one of those places I just happened to stumble across online and we checked it out fairly quickly with the usual suspects; @UrbandonedTeam, @huyt.urb, and @little_ boy_explores. After two visits and encounters with a 24/7 security team living inside on both occasions, it was looking like the chances of seeing inside of the hospital within 2021 were slim. The site had stayed in the back of mine and LBE's mind but it was never properly attempted until security finally moved out after an auction of the equipment inside had wrapped up. Knowing an auction had taken place sort of disheartened me a little thinking that there wouldn't be much point to returning anytime soon. The only thing that had kept me interested in it was the glimpses of the architecture inside the main hall that I had spotted from walking around the outside.
2023 came around and @UrbandonedTeam, @huyt.urb and a non-member were in the area and I had proposed a visit to see how the site was doing. One pleasant thing about this explore is the location. Upon being questioned by the park ranger as we drove on site we had moved on to a local establishment and came across a friendly deer before sneaking through holiday home gardens and onto the frosty fields of the park. The 4 of us meandered our way to the front of the site following the route we had years prior before heading for an open front door that LBE had tipped us off about (sorry lad). This was into the smaller and newer addition to the hospital that housed facilities like occupational therapy. Moments after stepping through the front door, the same ranger that had spoke to us before appeared out the front of the building but to only get into his small digger and drive off into the distance. From here on out we had a very relaxing time.
External of the newer building.
We had seen some snaps from LBE of the inside and knew not to expect too much. There appeared to be some sort of isolation room that was very cell like but the rest was mediocre at best. The signs of prison-like cells made sense judging by the external façade of the hospital. All the gardens/outdoor spaces were fenced off with cameras facing in every direction and they even had a gated main entrance for patients arriving at this section of the hospital that highly resembled a prison.
More externals:
Finally inside:
After a swift run around of OT and the rest, we set our sights to the main section. We had yet to see any of the interior of the manor as we had no updates from LBE as to whether he had found a way into the main building. The only idea of what was inside was from glances inside on previous attempts but knew it would be better than what we had just bothered to photograph.
One final external of the main building.
We began on the extremities of the hospital which was a good all things considered as it brought us straight into the truly hospitalised sections of the manor. The long corridor on the ground floor seemed to house patients in rooms similar to those we had seen minutes ago but as we progressed, we began to see door signs for x-ray department, and theatres which was more than we had hoped for.
Patient room.
The x-ray room was stripped. We had rushed into this room after discovering it mid way down the corridor to be greeted with an empty room and only markings of where the x-ray machine would have once sat.
At this point I think we all thought that we were once again slightly late and that any more hospital remnants would be long gone but the theatres made up for the x-ray removal.
There were two theatres and one with power which was a very nice surprise after all.
Not long after exiting the theatres, the entire layout and design of the hospital shifted. It was clear that there had been some major renovations to the theatre and x-ray section as we entered a fully preserved 1700s manor.
The main entrance.
This room and others that ran across the front of the building had remains of gym and sleeping equipment that the security had most likely used in their lengthy stay here.
More evidence of security.
The main lobby.
Other rooms that had no clues left behind as to what they were used as most recently:
To be continued...
