A brief bit of history - The hospital was opened in 1903 after taking 3 years to build. It was use to take in psychiatric patients, however throughout the second world war the hospital took in wounded patients and also soldiers that had suffered with PTSD. The site conducted two very controversial forms of therapy including ECT ("a treatment that involves sending an electric current through your brain, causing a brief surge of electrical activity within your brain, also known as a seizure. The aim of the treatment is to relieve the symptoms of some mental health problems.") The hospital also performed prefrontal lobotomy, predominantly used on patients suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and manic depression. ("This procedure included inserting a scalpel into the patient's brain through the eye socket. At the time this procedure was used to sever the nerve connections in a lobe or lobes of the brain from those in other areas of the brain.")
In July 1948 the hospital was taken over by the NHS and by 1955 had 496 patients, more than the site was designed to treat, so more wings were built. During the 1950s the treatment of patients began to develop towards medication and the increasing treatment of patients in an outpatient capacity rather than onsite for many cases which lead to the hospitals decline. By the 1990's the hospital only had around 150 patients.
In 1997 the hospital became vacated and lay abandoned until in 1999 the site was bought for £355,000 however the site was then further sold on after to a Herefordshire based business 'Collins Design and build' in 2011 who struggled to develop the site due to various issues including biodiversity from endangered bats and campaigns from charitable groups to save the heritage site.
Our Journey- The site was very well secured with many fences and clever diversion tactics however there was no active security. Many of the open windows had black tar around the frames to prevent intruders. We managed to hop over a fence using the trees and also a chair from one of the accessible buildings. Once inside it is very easy to get lost and not know your bearings. We found this which ultimately meant that we weren't able to explore the whole place. However once your are inside you are able the main compound it is all very accessible. Whilst there we also encountered an aerial photographer who had traveled from Nottingham to visit this beautiful place.
In July 1948 the hospital was taken over by the NHS and by 1955 had 496 patients, more than the site was designed to treat, so more wings were built. During the 1950s the treatment of patients began to develop towards medication and the increasing treatment of patients in an outpatient capacity rather than onsite for many cases which lead to the hospitals decline. By the 1990's the hospital only had around 150 patients.
In 1997 the hospital became vacated and lay abandoned until in 1999 the site was bought for £355,000 however the site was then further sold on after to a Herefordshire based business 'Collins Design and build' in 2011 who struggled to develop the site due to various issues including biodiversity from endangered bats and campaigns from charitable groups to save the heritage site.
Our Journey- The site was very well secured with many fences and clever diversion tactics however there was no active security. Many of the open windows had black tar around the frames to prevent intruders. We managed to hop over a fence using the trees and also a chair from one of the accessible buildings. Once inside it is very easy to get lost and not know your bearings. We found this which ultimately meant that we weren't able to explore the whole place. However once your are inside you are able the main compound it is all very accessible. Whilst there we also encountered an aerial photographer who had traveled from Nottingham to visit this beautiful place.
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