Well weve seen this recently posted and it wet my whistle thanks to @Solo40336 for the location
what I want to talk about is the thrill of being a cheeky bastard
BUT FIRST ABIT OF HISTORY...
In 1871, the Union purchased a 24-acre site on the slopes of Birch Hill and Starring Hill at Dearnley for £2,500. The following year, building work began on a large new workhouse.
In March 1873, the old Spotland workhouse partially collapsed, possibly because of subsidence due to an old coal-pit beneath the building. However, since the new workhouse was far from ready, the Spotland building had to be patched up and was used for another four yours. Even then its days were not over — in 1881, Rochdale Corporation were forced to rent it for use as a temporary isolation hospital during a smallpox epidemic.
© Peter Higginbotham.
In 1902, a 172-bed infirmary was built at the north of the workhouse. It had a central administration block with male and female ward pavilions to each side.
During the First World War, part of the site was taken over by the military who also erected tents in the grounds.
In 1930, control of the site passed to Rochdale County Borough, with the Poor Law Institution being run by the Public Assistance Committee and the Hospital being run by the Health Committee. With the inauguration of the National Health Service in 1948, the site became a single hospital known as Birch Hill. Now run by Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust, many of the original buildings are still in use. The former imbecile and infirmary blocks at the east of the site are believed to be scheduled for replacement.
In 2001, English Heritage decided not to grant the buildings 'listed' status and their future was uncertain.
ON WITH THE REPORT.....
Me and @godgp78 turned up about 3pm not really thinking about what we might encounter and what that was is as follows shit loads of builders, site managers , roofers, fork lift drivers you get the picture but I didn't want to leave it there we had come so far so we had a cheeky scout about and saw the front door wide open
.
At this point my heart started pumping I cant leave adrenalin flowing I cant leave , so back to the car for a regroup lets see how far we get before were kicked off site
straight in through the front door with high viz vest donned ducked into a side room checked the coast was clearGO....
found some stairs started climbing my hearts going like the clappers up to the second floor heading for the clock tower I don't want to leave without taking a pik here STOP fuck two builders right where we want to be having a leisurely chat
SHHIIITTTT...............
sneaking back down wehead for the first floor (got to get some piks before were kicked out lol)so we explore the floor then head down to the ground floor explore this then find the cellar bingo.
Fuck no torches so I pull out some tiny L.E.DS used for light painting do a little bit of the cellar and then head up hoping this time the coast was clear ..............IT WAS
.
up the tower we go do our thing with the clock faces and head out back to the corridor just about to head down the main staircase and I spot some nice windows at the end of said corridor head down take some piks on my way back theres a guy looking right at me "what you doing lads im meant to be here by myself, who do you work for " ME "oh sorry just came in hoping to get some piks pal" well im locking up in ten and ya not meant to be here ME "ooops sorry we will leave
MISSION ACCOPLISHED walking out like bertie big bollocks with a right swag on sorry if im heavy on piks but we got some crackers...
what I want to talk about is the thrill of being a cheeky bastard
BUT FIRST ABIT OF HISTORY...In 1871, the Union purchased a 24-acre site on the slopes of Birch Hill and Starring Hill at Dearnley for £2,500. The following year, building work began on a large new workhouse.
In March 1873, the old Spotland workhouse partially collapsed, possibly because of subsidence due to an old coal-pit beneath the building. However, since the new workhouse was far from ready, the Spotland building had to be patched up and was used for another four yours. Even then its days were not over — in 1881, Rochdale Corporation were forced to rent it for use as a temporary isolation hospital during a smallpox epidemic.
© Peter Higginbotham.
In 1902, a 172-bed infirmary was built at the north of the workhouse. It had a central administration block with male and female ward pavilions to each side.
During the First World War, part of the site was taken over by the military who also erected tents in the grounds.
In 1930, control of the site passed to Rochdale County Borough, with the Poor Law Institution being run by the Public Assistance Committee and the Hospital being run by the Health Committee. With the inauguration of the National Health Service in 1948, the site became a single hospital known as Birch Hill. Now run by Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust, many of the original buildings are still in use. The former imbecile and infirmary blocks at the east of the site are believed to be scheduled for replacement.
In 2001, English Heritage decided not to grant the buildings 'listed' status and their future was uncertain.
ON WITH THE REPORT.....
Me and @godgp78 turned up about 3pm not really thinking about what we might encounter and what that was is as follows shit loads of builders, site managers , roofers, fork lift drivers you get the picture but I didn't want to leave it there we had come so far so we had a cheeky scout about and saw the front door wide open
.At this point my heart started pumping I cant leave adrenalin flowing I cant leave , so back to the car for a regroup lets see how far we get before were kicked off site
straight in through the front door with high viz vest donned ducked into a side room checked the coast was clearGO....
found some stairs started climbing my hearts going like the clappers up to the second floor heading for the clock tower I don't want to leave without taking a pik here STOP fuck two builders right where we want to be having a leisurely chat
SHHIIITTTT...............sneaking back down wehead for the first floor (got to get some piks before were kicked out lol)so we explore the floor then head down to the ground floor explore this then find the cellar bingo.
Fuck no torches so I pull out some tiny L.E.DS used for light painting do a little bit of the cellar and then head up hoping this time the coast was clear ..............IT WAS
.up the tower we go do our thing with the clock faces and head out back to the corridor just about to head down the main staircase and I spot some nice windows at the end of said corridor head down take some piks on my way back theres a guy looking right at me "what you doing lads im meant to be here by myself, who do you work for " ME "oh sorry just came in hoping to get some piks pal" well im locking up in ten and ya not meant to be here ME "ooops sorry we will leave
MISSION ACCOPLISHED walking out like bertie big bollocks with a right swag on sorry if im heavy on piks but we got some crackers...
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