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Report - - Ridge Lea Hospital, Lancashire - August 2021 | Asylums and Hospitals | 28DaysLater.co.uk

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ALW Research Team

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
This annex of the nearby Lancaster Moor Hospital was opened in 1916 as a Ladies Villa, intended for lucrative private lady patients who required superior accommodation compared with that available in the main Lancaster Moor Hospital.

Lancaster Moor hospital opened in 1816 and closed for mental health patients in 1991. This impressive building still exists today and is now converted into private apartments for members of the public. Meanwhile back at Ridge Lea, this structure formed another sizeable complex in it’s own right and stood some distance west of the Lancaster Moor Hospital, accessed separately from it’s own approaches from Stone Row Head alongside the Lancaster Cemetery.

The hospital was a pioneering site for the humane treatment of the mentally ill with the introduction of treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy. This is a psychiatric treatment where a generalised seizure (without muscular convulsions) is electrically induced to manage refractory mental disorders. up to 120 volts are applied externally to the patient's head, which results in around 800 milliamps of direct current passing through the brain, for short periods of time.

This was used as a treatment for several mental disorders including mania and depression. Ridge Lea Hospital first saw a decline in patients after the 1986 publication 'Making a Reality of Community Care' by the Audit Commission.

This report outlined the slow progress in resettling people from long stay hospitals. It was this report which prompted the subsequent Green and White papers on community care. Care in the Community is a British policy of deinstitutionalization, treating and caring for physically and mentally disabled people in their homes rather than in an institution such as Ridge Lea Hospital.

British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher adopted a new policy of care in the community and subsequent governments harmonised this.

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This is one of the main corridors, the hospital is made up of large wings connected together.


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A lot of the fixtures and fittings remain intact.
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Notice board with staff details still legible.
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The flaking paint made for a great sight.
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The hospital is in a sorry state from its immaculate past.
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Large areas of damage caused by roof leaks.
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NHS Style road signage.
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A large complex of interlinked buildings.
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The Grand looking building wont last too many more winters.
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The exercise yard for the patients. Looking very much like a prison.
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One of the turreted water tanks. Note the lead flashings have been removed.
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The main entrance would have been a busy thoroughfare in its day.
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This is the main Lancaster Moor Hospital, now converted into apartments.
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This was nearby so i took a photograph with the drone. I am a licenced drone pilot with insurance and logged a flight plan with the CAA and Nats for this flight.
Ashton Memorial building in Williamson Park, Lancaster, Lancashire, England. Completed in 1909 and costing £87,000 for use by Lord Ashton and his family as a folly.



Ridge Lea Hospital closed in 2013 and is still owned by Lancashire and South Cumbria National Health Service Trust.
 

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Knight Rider

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
A few of us went to this hospital in August 2021. The site is heavily vandalised and as the security mentioned to the police, there is no CCTV on site.

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After gaining entrance and telling a group of youths to stop smashing windows, they decided to show us around.

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There are still appliances plugged in although no power.

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Its amazing what has been left, a copy of VIZ!

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Some fire damage due to vandalism.

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The next few images of a secure cell; bed toilet, hatch only. It must have been a hell hole to live in these conditions.

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Paperwork strewn around.

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We did manage to get outside on the first floor but what a bleak view.

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The loft was surprising easy to find and climb into.

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Although we did not get round the full site and getting interrupted by Castle Security guards who called the police, a brief telling off and mention of a civil suit, we were escorted off the premises by Lancashire's Finest, not, and a hastily taken photo. Two squad cars and 2 riot vans for 5 x over 50's urban explorers, ludicrous!

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A good all round explore with a few hours looking round, except for the last half hour.

If you manage to visit, please note there is no CCTV as explained by one of the security guards.
Is the security there because this place is getting converted into flats too? Or are they there because of the other building?
 

Kipaqra

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
The security seems to be there because of the danger in some places due to vandalism. Its a grade 2 listed so can't just be knocked down. While we where there there were a group of kids bashing windows and wooden boarding in with hammers. Not sure on the future of the place, so can't answered about flats conversion.
 

Knight Rider

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
The security seems to be there because of the danger in some places due to vandalism. Its a grade 2 listed so can't just be knocked down. While we where there there were a group of kids bashing windows and wooden boarding in with hammers. Not sure on the future of the place, so can't answered about flats conversion.
No worries, thanks for the info :)
 

Specter

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Although we did not get round the full site and getting interrupted by Castle Security guards who called the police, a brief telling off and mention of a civil suit, we were escorted off the premises by Lancashire's Finest, not, and a hastily taken photo. Two squad cars and 2 riot vans for 5 x over 50's urban explorers, ludicrous!

Not sure why these secca companies dont get done for wasting police time, after all its not like they're paid big money to "secure" sites. I also believe 99% of them should be able to wait outside a building and ask you to leave.... Just as the police do...
 
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