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Report - - St Crispins/ Northampton/ Februray 2014 | Asylums and Hospitals | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - St Crispins/ Northampton/ Februray 2014

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The Lone Shadow

Industrial Fanatic!
28DL Full Member
The Explore
I had been meaning to do St. Crispins for ages and the opportunity finally presented itself. Access to the site was dead easy. Not much remains inside, as it has all since been stripped out, however, the architecture is beautiful and truly breath taking. Once inside, it was a nice relaxed explore even though there was an onsite security cabin. The only other thing that was worth avoiding was the nosey neighbors twitching the curtains all around as they would probably be the first to call the police if we were spotted. Explored with the talented Session9.

History
In 1873 Northampton County Council purchased the village of Berrywood in order to build St. Crispins asylum. Robert Griffiths designed the hospital and then construction took 3 years. The premises were opened as a psychiatric hospital officially in 1876 as “Berrywood Asylumâ€
Between 1884 and 1887 further extensions took place, creating a new block for “idiot†and “imbecile†children. Blocks for epileptics were constructed on either side; a reservoir and fire station; a stable yard and an isolation hospital with a distinctive pyramidal roof line. A stone chapel and mortuary were also constructed.
During the First World War some of inmates from Norfolk county asylum were evacuated and sent to Berrywood. In 1916, the hospital inmates were distributed across the midlands so that the asylum could focus on military cases. In 1918 when the World War 1 was over, the hospital returned back to normal and its patient population was restored. It was also rebranded as a “mental hospital†rather than an “asylumâ€.
In the 1930’s a few more extensions were built including the nurse’s home – the white house and a new admissions hospital also. Refurbishments were done all across the hospital.
After The Second World War the NHS took over ownership and the hospital was rebranded St. Crispins. In 1954 two more villas were constructed for female working patients and in the 1970’s the hospital’s south grounds were redeveloped for mental handicap services. This was complete with major long stay facilities, one of the last of its kind in England. Named the Princess Marina hospital, it provided a home for a number of Northampton patients.
In 1977 the hospital was used as a filming set for the Doctor Who series “The Talons of Weng-Chiang†The mortuary was used to represent a Victorian operating theatre.
St. Crispins was subject to a few news reports that focused on there being a large fire that killed 6 patients on Schuster Ward, within the main building.
The hospital closed in 1995, with a housing project hoping to become the outcome of the site. The surrounding sites have since been cleared and rebuilt upon, but trouble with the 2008 recession has since halted work. Building work to restore the remaining buildings left standing started in 2011, but has since been abandoned. The clock tower was to become one large apartment with a spiral staircase running up through the centre, however the whole of the main site has been left to decay and is still derelict.

Pictures

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Thanks for reading my report, I hope you liked.

The Lone Shadow
 

unplugged

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Go a night ;) avoids the nosey neighbor problem. Im sure we had the Po Po helicopter flying about when I was there.
 

Peking

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Like the pics. Must say I'm pretty gutted I missed the projector room when I visited.. was in there for about 2 hours and searched high and low for it! An excuse to return maybe (and climb the tower to the very top).
 

Shagrat

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
A good explore this one, I missed the projector room, tunnels and couldn't find access to the tower (best bit I recon) on my visit neither - did you have a stab at the tower and find the tunnels?
 

The Lone Shadow

Industrial Fanatic!
28DL Full Member
The projector room was really nice... Very interesting. We did not find any tunnels nor did we get to the top of the tower.
Getting to the top of the tower was very sketchy. There was no ladder, only a hoarding panel turned on its side, previously used as a makeshift ladder.
Yes, I guess going at night time would be good for avoiding the nosey neighbours, but then you stand the chance of putting your foot through some of the gaping holes in the floor.
You are braver than me Unplugged.

The Lone Shadow.
 

Session9

A life backwards
28DL Full Member
Why go at night? Its hardly overlooked - just need to be aware of the few areas you might be exposed to the curtain twitchers.
 

Peking

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Best time I reckon is early on a weekend... I might have been spotted by a guy in a gown on his balcony brushing his teeth but he didn't seem bothered..
 

The Lone Shadow

Industrial Fanatic!
28DL Full Member
Yeah, those balconys are the problems. When we arrived, they were staring at us from the moment we got out of the car. I guess some of them must see exlorers come and go all day.

LS
 

Lucky

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
It seems that quite a few people have trouble finding the tunnels and the tower entrance. I'm intending to go soon and i'll post pics of how to get to those if you'd like.
 

fairyclarey

Never stop exploring :)
28DL Full Member
They called the cops on me when we visted :( but lucky for us they seemed to like us let us walk around site with them for abit. But we did manage to visit the week before in darkness and see the whole site other wise Id be sadly disappointed.
 

#35

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Good stuff, love this place! Got to the top of the tower yesterday so will be putting some pictures up shortly...
 
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