Report - St Crispin's Lunatic Asylum, Northampton - September 2017

[Jay1698]

I was the one who made my own ‘ladder’ going up the clock tower and also the board across the pipe works for easy access to the proper ladder, got videos of me and my mate building it all as we were adamant to get up so if anyone wants a hand and I’ll show you around, went back last night to check if it’s still there and it is!

 

[Jay1698]

I was there this Saturday just gone and it seems they have now secured the clock tower off for safety reasons. Still a lovely explore though.

They haven’t secured the clock tower, I went up to check if my built ladder is still there and climbed all the way up it again! You should come up when I’m next there

 

[SUS.Exploration]

Here is the video we made, it's not our best, we have gotten better at it since this was done last year. The noose in question is at about 10:14 we walked right past it and didn't notice until we edited the footage.

Thanks for the link Will watch in abit as out on an explore ATM, DW my editing skills need work too.

 

[URBAN_SURVIVOR]

My friend works around the area and he popped in to ave a look. He noticed they have cleared up all the over grown bushes up and have started to board up some of the windows and doors so conker that tower quickly bud .

 

[betamax toploader]

Nice shots mate. That whole estate was a playground for us kids that lived around the corner. Did you see the large imposing white building, just around the corner? Now flats, it was the former nurses home. Thats where I lost my virginity! Eileen was her name. Happy memories, (for me anyway).

 

[SUS.Exploration]

Hey sorry not been on for a while my health took a bad turn. Thanks for the message.

My friend works around the area and he popped in to ave a look. He noticed they have cleared up all the over grown bushes up and have started to board up some of the windows and doors so conker that tower quickly bud .

 

[hatch]

My friend works around the area and he popped in to ave a look. He noticed they have cleared up all the over grown bushes up and have started to board up some of the windows and doors so conker that tower quickly bud .

Hi, now and again, I take a look at your photo's as I worked on ALL the wards there over 50 yrs ago. I would be able to tell you the names of many wards, the names of the charge nurses, some patients names. Some wards were locked and some had individual side rooms that had padded walls. The doors were of the stable type so once you have looked through the spy hole, you could access if it was safe to open the top section f the door, then the bottom section.
I well remember the problems of some individuals. Smashing glass whenever the opportunity arose, eating faeces, violence to staff. Not all were like that though. On one occasion, one patient was reported missing. He was eventually found under the floor boards. Maintenance had been carried out and he had noticed an access point.

When the Princess Marina Hospital was opened, Princess Alexandra came (Marina was her mother), when she stepped out of the royal car, I had to signal to the band who were out of site, and they then played the National Anthem, but only the first two lines, which were her entitlement.

Another time, I bumped into the Duchess of Gloucester who was paying a visit and as I turned a corner, we almost bumped into one another.

So yes, day shift, night shift, all now memories.

 

[Giymo85]

As an update on the site here, the clearance work was indeed the precursor to some demolition of the remaining buildings. The remains of the chapel (complete with beautiful projector) are now gone, as it the leftmost (standing to the front of the site) ward building. It looks as though they may be stopping there for now, which would make sense as these buildings were certainly beyond saving.

 

[hatch]

As an update on the site here, the clearance work was indeed the precursor to some demolition of the remaining buildings. The remains of the chapel (complete with beautiful projector) are now gone, as it the leftmost (standing to the front of the site) ward building. It looks as though they may be stopping there for now, which would make sense as these buildings were certainly beyond saving.

Do you mean the chapel half way up the drive has gone?. If so, I have another story about that. One night, me and a mate were leaving the hospital to go for a drink at club, and two patients were fighting as they left the chapel. One was heard to say "I'll kill you", we intervened , sent for assistance, they were return to the ward. Next day, we were summoned to a consultants office and thanked for what we did.

 

[hatch]

Thanks for the link Will watch in abit as out on an explore ATM, DW my editing skills need work too.

As much as I found it interesting, watching you walk around, I SO wanted to be able to be there and give you information. As it stands, there isn't anything for me to identify. I will look for photos of the exterior then write the ward names on.

 

[Giymo85]

Do you mean the chapel half way up the drive has gone?. If so, I have another story about that. One night, me and a mate were leaving the hospital to go for a drink at club, and two patients were fighting as they left the chapel. One was heard to say "I'll kill you", we intervened , sent for assistance, they were return to the ward. Next day, we were summoned to a consultants office and thanked for what we did.

That's a cool story man. I mean the area behind the clock tower which would have been used to show movies based on the projector. The screencap below shows the areas that are no more.

 

[hatch]

That's a cool story man. I mean the area behind the clock tower which would have been used to show movies based on the projector. The screencap below shows the areas that are no more.

The space between the main hall and the building at the top, would have been the canteen, the corridor I spoke of, clearly has gone. The main entrance to the hospital was through the doorway someone has posted and i hoped I'd re-shown.

The circled area on the right, let me look again. The ground floor was Hayes Ward. In the right bottom corner, was the area the patients were let out to roam or stand completely still, depending on their illness. I actually saw a patient drain blood from a rabbit into his mouth before we stopped him. I remember his name too, Bertie *********. Those in Hayes ward, were really bad, by that I mean some never spoke, some violent 99% doubly incontinent. Bob Day was my charge nurse.

 

[hatch]

That's a cool story man. I mean the area behind the clock tower which would have been used to show movies based on the projector. The screencap below shows the areas that are no more.

The long section, between both circled areas, were Milson Ward, leading to Greene Ward. First floor, Can't remember, leading to Dyson Ward. Top floor, George Schuster Ward, leading to can't remember. It was Macleod Ward, just saw it on someone elses thread.

In the building of the clock tower, were the canteen kitchen and on the first floor, staff accommodation. I occupied one of the rooms there, but it was hell, with the fucking chiming clock.

The building to the left of your photo were in the main, female wards..

If anyone is more technically minded than me, maybe they can grab all my inserts/comments and put them where everyone can read them, if you think it's worth it,

 

[hatch]

The space between the main hall and the building at the top, would have been the canteen, the corridor I spoke of, clearly has gone. The main entrance to the hospital was through the doorway someone has posted and i hoped I'd re-shown.

The circled area on the right, let me look again. The ground floor was Hayes Ward. In the right bottom corner, was the area the patients were let out to roam or stand completely still, depending on their illness. I actually saw a patient drain blood from a rabbit into his mouth before we stopped him. I remember his name too, Bertie *********. Those in Hayes ward, were really bad, by that I mean some never spoke, some violent 99% doubly incontinent. Bob Day was my charge nurse.

PS, I think if anyone has a photo taken from outside looking in, if I can get my bearings, I will see what I can contribute

 

[Giymo85]

Fantastic information @hatch I have visited the place a few times and it's great to get some insight on what it was like in operation.