Report - North Wales Hospital/Denbigh Asylum, February 2014

[atrocity_exhibition]

After a bit of a failed visit to Pool Park with a non-member, we had a good afternoon wandering around Denbigh Asylum. We spotted a couple of other explorers while we were there but only saw them from upstairs windows so didn't actually speak to them to find out if they were members, but hello if that was you and you saw us! We were ready to leave anyway when the infamous Elwyn arrived to escort us off the premises via the main gates, which was excellent timing and it was so very helpful and kind of him to make our walk back to the car that bit quicker and easier Wouldn't have been a proper Denbigh explore without meeting the legend himself though, right?

History stolen from a report by The_Raw:

Denbigh Lunatic Asylum was built in 1848, being the first ever asylum in Wales it's purpose was to cater for Welsh psychiatric patients who had previously been sent to English asylums. It increased in size over the years and became the North Wales Hospital, at it's peak hosting 1500 patients and 1000 staff. Many drugs and treatments were developed at this hospital, including malarial treaments, insulin shock treatments and sulphur based drugs during the 1920s and 30s. The early 1940s saw the introduction of electro convulsive therapy (ECT) and prefrontal lobotomy treatments.

The end was in sight for Denbigh when in 1960 Enoch Powell visited the site. Soon after the visit, he announced the hospital plan for England and wales, which would see psychiatric care facilities being attached to general hospitals and the introduction of care in the community. In 1987 a ten year plan was in place to facilitate the closure of the site, it closed in sections starting in 1991 with the main hospital building closing in 1995. By 2002 the Grade II listed building had been completely abandoned and in the same year was sold at auction to a redevelopment company called Freemont. Freemont had planned to build up to 280 homes, businesses and community facilities on the site, with the redevelopment enabling the original listed buildings to be restored. However, the planning consent expired in 2009.