This was a long time ago, so long that I drafted up the explore on my website and then pretty much forgot to post it live and share on here. I stumbled across it from my semi retired armchair at the weekend and thought its better late than never. I presumed that St Cadocs would be closed by end of 2009, here we are in fall of 2012 and it's still very much operational. The welsh don't seem to want to close any of the ones down the M4 corridor. Maybe the WA realise that care in the community doesn't work?
So here we go, it was my 29th Birthday explore weekend - this would be the first of about 6 asylums we visited that day and probably one of the best I've ever done to date.
The building was designed by Alfred J. Wood FRIBA, London and named after Saint Cadoc. Saint Cadoc's church is located in the town.
The hospital, which opened in 1906 as the Newport Borough Asylum, was built to accommodate up to 350 patients. Extensive outbuildings were later added on the site, but since 2005 the number of residents has been very small with the growing emphasis on care in the community.
The yellow brickwork piping instantly reminded me of Hine. There were no distinctive brown tiles in the corridors - the similarities started and ended there.
The site is all but dead for a small medium secure unit to the right of the main buildings. The rest of the site is in a defunct/mothballed status - only the front administration block appears to be in use as part of the local NHS trust headquarters - which they've kept in wonderful condition.
It's no surprise the first thing we wanted to see. Who doesn't like a main hall? I've seen enough burnt outs ones in my exploring life - this one was a little plain but in such wonderfully kept condition.
Wondering along the corridors it became apparent that all the main wards were closed. The doors weren't though.
St Cadoc's has quite a rare feature where the corridors run parallel on each floor.
We could have spent hours wandering around, but actually knowing that this was semi live we didn't want to push our luck. Not least after stumbling across this room.
A few weeks later we went back to check out the mortuary. Disappointingly the slab was a long since removed and perhaps was only used as a chapel of rest in its final days.
I look forward to returning again, once the doors are closed for the final time.
You can find some more pictures on my website
http://www.whateversleft.co.uk/asylums/st-cadocs-hospital-newport
Thanks for viewing
So here we go, it was my 29th Birthday explore weekend - this would be the first of about 6 asylums we visited that day and probably one of the best I've ever done to date.
The building was designed by Alfred J. Wood FRIBA, London and named after Saint Cadoc. Saint Cadoc's church is located in the town.
The hospital, which opened in 1906 as the Newport Borough Asylum, was built to accommodate up to 350 patients. Extensive outbuildings were later added on the site, but since 2005 the number of residents has been very small with the growing emphasis on care in the community.
The yellow brickwork piping instantly reminded me of Hine. There were no distinctive brown tiles in the corridors - the similarities started and ended there.
The site is all but dead for a small medium secure unit to the right of the main buildings. The rest of the site is in a defunct/mothballed status - only the front administration block appears to be in use as part of the local NHS trust headquarters - which they've kept in wonderful condition.
It's no surprise the first thing we wanted to see. Who doesn't like a main hall? I've seen enough burnt outs ones in my exploring life - this one was a little plain but in such wonderfully kept condition.
Wondering along the corridors it became apparent that all the main wards were closed. The doors weren't though.
St Cadoc's has quite a rare feature where the corridors run parallel on each floor.
We could have spent hours wandering around, but actually knowing that this was semi live we didn't want to push our luck. Not least after stumbling across this room.
A few weeks later we went back to check out the mortuary. Disappointingly the slab was a long since removed and perhaps was only used as a chapel of rest in its final days.
I look forward to returning again, once the doors are closed for the final time.
You can find some more pictures on my website
http://www.whateversleft.co.uk/asylums/st-cadocs-hospital-newport
Thanks for viewing
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