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Report - - Whitchurch Cardiff City Asylum, Cardiff - August 2017 | Asylums and Hospitals | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Whitchurch Cardiff City Asylum, Cardiff - August 2017

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Minor

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Visited with: @UrbanZ & a non-member

History

The hospital, built by Architects Messrs Oatley and Skinner of Bristol between 1902-1908, took 10 years to construct at a cost of £350,000, and was officially opened on the 15th April, 1908.

Being an outstanding example of modernization for its time, having provisions for the latest treatment methods, a large recreation hall, bakery, kitchen, boiler house, it's own fire station, two Belliss and Morcomsteam engine powered generator sets (which were only removed from standby in the mid-1980s), a self contained farm, (providing both food supplies and therapeutic work for the patients)... no doubt contributed to it's lengthy time in active service.

In 1914 the site was commandeered by the military before being renamed 'Welsh Metropolitan War Hospital', and later, in 1919, renamed again as the 'Whitchurch Emergency Hospital'.

On 5 July 1948, the hospital was taken over by the Ministry of Health as the National Health Service came into existence. It continued to be used through to the mid-1980s, when Care in the Community began to reduce the number of resident patients, and was finally decommissioned in 2016.

Explore

This was the only site we had planned for the day, and being such a long way from home we were really hoping it wouldn't be a bust, so I'm glad to report it wasn't. Quite the opposite in fact.

Approaching the site, the main clock tower protruding 150ft above the hospital in the distance, it quickly became apparent how large the place was, it's huge, and this made us all the more eager to get in, so after a quick recce that's exactly what we did.

Most of the hospital is in a pretty good condition considering, and many parts still have mains water and electricity, including the main hall stage, where i had some fun testing out the curtains and lighting.
There are also baths used for bathing patients, beds, snooker tables, x-ray machinery and much more left behind, including notes from patients and rotas for the staff working the last shifts before closing for the final time.

We spent quite a number of hours here and managed to see a large part of the hospital, although i'm sad to say i did not see the cells, so a revisit may be in order.

The police also regularly train at the site as we found police tape everywhere, mock hostage situations and spent munitions cartridges on the floor.

All in all we spent a large amount of time at the site and it was a great explore, but enough talking and onto the pictures.

1. View from Clock tower.
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2. One of the main halls.
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3. Game room.
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4.
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5. Hospital gym.
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6. Main hall and stage with working curtains.
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7. Stage control panel.
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8. Kitchen.
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9. Strange room. These arrows have been individually drawn and stuck to the wall.
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10. Bath. Unfortunately it has been disconnected from the mains.
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11. Canteen.
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12.
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13. Maintenance room with old Betamax recorder. All items are categorized into sections and labeled.
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15. Hallway
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16. Final view from clock tower.
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Thanks for looking :thumb
 
Last edited:

Minor

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thanks mate, although I messed up the image sizing. UrbanZ did, so no doubt he'll post a report soon.
 

tumbles

Drama Queen
Staff member
Moderator
Whilst parts of the hospital are still locked, access can still be obtained to most sections via these tunnels

There aren't any cells. Individual rooms but no padded cells or anything like that. The most original part of the hospital would be where you started off. The rest has been remodelled over the years.

X-ray went in the late 1980s as well. It was near the ECT Rooms/Dentist originally.
 
Last edited:

raisinwing

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Nice one for getting this done, you've seen more than I did haha

Probably be wise to use some restraint when posting some things in public though.
 

mockney reject

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
.aaaaand that's them sealed up!

There aren't any cells. Individual rooms but no padded cells or anything like that. The most original part of the hospital would be where you started off. The rest has been remodelled over the years.

X-ray went in the late 1980s as well. It was near the ECT Rooms/Dentist originally.


I've had three people tell me there are padded cells there now ......

If only
 

tumbles

Drama Queen
Staff member
Moderator
I've had three people tell me there are padded cells there now ......

If only

Having worked with the historical society for last 18 months trust me there ain't any. Given the forward thinking of the original superintendent its quite possible there were never any used although the original plans did have them marked on the ward layouts. Literally every single ward bar west 5/5a has been modernised over past 30 years at some point.
 

Speed

Got Epic?
Regular User
Cells or not this place has plenty left to explore from what ive seen.

Is that lead theft going on in the hidden roof valleys? Maybe thats why the police seem keen on the place!
 

tumbles

Drama Queen
Staff member
Moderator
Cells or not this place has plenty left to explore from what ive seen.

Is that lead theft going on in the hidden roof valleys? Maybe thats why the police seem keen on the place!

Metal fairies have been in, yep. Security call police everytime they see anyone inside however. Guess they'll get fed up soon and tell security to sort their shit out.
 

Dynamohum

28DL Member
28DL Member
There are no cells in Whitchurch Hospital. Trust me, I worked there a very long time. One thing you may have missed out on though, is a labyrinth of tunnels under the hospital. The access points are along the corridor routes that the main entrance doors to each ward are. A few years ago, police were searching the grounds for a missing member of staff, when they stumbled upon a Cannabis factory under one of the wards - West 5 I think. Check out the tunnels next time you go....
 
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