Visited with man gone wrong on an extremely wet day. Asylums are few and far between now, how I wished I had been exploring pre 2013. So we decided whilst this was an intact one and in good condition that we would go give it a look. It’s a very compact and small asylum. Consisting of what is essentially two wings at two storey high and a centre part consisting of the hall, offices and kitchens. We quickly made our way to the building and found the way in. Aware that security are based at the front we kept an eye out, but we did not see a soul. And even though it’s small we still spent over five hours inside. It’s quite disorienting in parts once inside, giving you the feeling it’s bigger than it actually is. People say it’s a sparkly clean place, I thought it was more grubby than I was expecting. I really enjoyed this one and was nice to wander corridors again, albeit they had been modernised. Sadly I wanted some nice exteriors, but the rain when leaving was so persistent it was not happening.
some history on the place via the County Asylums Website. Not sure If plans are afoot still to develop it into accommodation.
www.countyasylums.co.uk
Some of the bits near the Edmund and Ramsey wards. Plenty of target signs about from the police training.
A series of three rooms behind the main hall.
A chapel sits right behind the main hall. Not sure if this was part of the main hall and then partitioned off.
The main hall like most asylum halls is quite stunning.
Plenty of corridors about. They have all had new anti slip flooring put in, and the ceilings lowered with poly tiles. Guess this keeps it more insulated and keeps heating costs down.
Store room and kitchen.
Nice colours and decay.
Some decay in the ceilings were the tiles have come down. Nice to see its stilll got the lathe and plaster ceilings. I wonder if the plaster has the horse hair in like they use to mix in for strength.
Heading over to the Abbots ward which was in a more decaying state around this part.
Inspiration room.
Ward office.
Nice to see the calming colours used in asylums.
Continued…
some history on the place via the County Asylums Website. Not sure If plans are afoot still to develop it into accommodation.
St Martin's Hospital, Canterbury - County Asylums
St Martin's Hospital, Canterbury formerly Canterbury City Mental Hospital. Designed by William Joseph Jennings & Gray to a Compact Arrow Plan. Opened 1902
www.countyasylums.co.uk
Some of the bits near the Edmund and Ramsey wards. Plenty of target signs about from the police training.
A series of three rooms behind the main hall.
A chapel sits right behind the main hall. Not sure if this was part of the main hall and then partitioned off.
The main hall like most asylum halls is quite stunning.
Plenty of corridors about. They have all had new anti slip flooring put in, and the ceilings lowered with poly tiles. Guess this keeps it more insulated and keeps heating costs down.
Store room and kitchen.
Nice colours and decay.
Some decay in the ceilings were the tiles have come down. Nice to see its stilll got the lathe and plaster ceilings. I wonder if the plaster has the horse hair in like they use to mix in for strength.
Heading over to the Abbots ward which was in a more decaying state around this part.
Inspiration room.
Ward office.
Nice to see the calming colours used in asylums.
Continued…
you went the week after me and I drew you a plan out ha ha. Yeah I feel I missed so much. Then I get people saying who started more recently saying they missed so much of what I have seen. So I guess we could say that about any time really. So guess it's just best to make do with what's out there.
