Long time lurker, first time poster so any points about my report are welcome! 
Old explore but I wanted to make sure I at least kind of know what is expected in a post before I post any of my more recent explores (and if my photos upload properly!).
This asylum was built in 1900 but didn’t open until 1903 and the site was chosen due to its proximity to a water source and its rural location which was believed to be the best place for the mentally ill at the time. This water source, along with gardens, a church, halls for eating and recreation, kitchens, a tailor, a bakery, a shoe-maker and cobbler, laundry rooms and printing press shops essentially allowed the asylum to be self-sufficient.
It was built to house 352 patients who were provided with workshops where they could make and/or repair their own, and the hospital’s, items. The asylum population grew after the First World War due to soldiers returning with mental issues and the capacity of the hospital reached 455 in 1925. During the Second World War the asylum became a military hospital. These increasing number of patients meant they had to be shipped off to other mental facilities. During this time, some of the hospital was turned into a prisoner of war camp hospital for captured Nazi soldiers.
The hospital then returned to catering for the mentally ill in 1946 under the control of the NHS, where pre-frontal lobotomies were introduced. By 1955 there were 496 patients at the asylum. The asylum finally closed in 1997 and was sold in 1999, and again in 2011. I can’t find any information of any other sales or interest from any potential buyers since then.
This was a great explore but I didn’t actually go inside any of the buildings because I was with a friend who didn’t feel comfortable going in. I would have definitely gone in other wise though, pretty much every building had access that looked fairly easy to get into. However, there are several signs up explaining that going inside the buildings is trespassing, illegal, that sort of thing. A friend of mine who had been before me had security called on them so I’m not sure how much time you would have to explore as I didn’t really stay long enough to find out.
Old explore but I wanted to make sure I at least kind of know what is expected in a post before I post any of my more recent explores (and if my photos upload properly!). This asylum was built in 1900 but didn’t open until 1903 and the site was chosen due to its proximity to a water source and its rural location which was believed to be the best place for the mentally ill at the time. This water source, along with gardens, a church, halls for eating and recreation, kitchens, a tailor, a bakery, a shoe-maker and cobbler, laundry rooms and printing press shops essentially allowed the asylum to be self-sufficient.
It was built to house 352 patients who were provided with workshops where they could make and/or repair their own, and the hospital’s, items. The asylum population grew after the First World War due to soldiers returning with mental issues and the capacity of the hospital reached 455 in 1925. During the Second World War the asylum became a military hospital. These increasing number of patients meant they had to be shipped off to other mental facilities. During this time, some of the hospital was turned into a prisoner of war camp hospital for captured Nazi soldiers.
The hospital then returned to catering for the mentally ill in 1946 under the control of the NHS, where pre-frontal lobotomies were introduced. By 1955 there were 496 patients at the asylum. The asylum finally closed in 1997 and was sold in 1999, and again in 2011. I can’t find any information of any other sales or interest from any potential buyers since then.
This was a great explore but I didn’t actually go inside any of the buildings because I was with a friend who didn’t feel comfortable going in. I would have definitely gone in other wise though, pretty much every building had access that looked fairly easy to get into. However, there are several signs up explaining that going inside the buildings is trespassing, illegal, that sort of thing. A friend of mine who had been before me had security called on them so I’m not sure how much time you would have to explore as I didn’t really stay long enough to find out.
