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Report - - Whittingham Asylum, Preston April 2014 - Demo Update | Asylums and Hospitals | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Whittingham Asylum, Preston April 2014 - Demo Update

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AuntieKnickers

inquisitive historian
28DL Full Member
With the rumour that demolition was closing in on the hospital, Myself, The Stig, H1971 and Skapunkmetalskater were up at stupid o'clock to see what was left of the old girl. On arrival we bumped into another explorer who was on route to the water tower, who kindly informed us that demo had most definately started and crew were sleeping in caravans on site.

We made our way across the site to find that all the corridors joining buildings had been removed and the site itself is now wide open so being stealth like was almost impossible. Parts of the main corridor remain. Before we could get away from the main corridor, looking through one of the gaping holes in the side of the building, we were met with one of the demo machines heading our way, once it passed where we were we decided to make our escape. Due to the condition of the old girl i doubt it will be standing much longer.

History

Whittingham Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in the parish of Whittingham, near Preston, Lancashire, England.

The hospital was founded in 1869 and grew to be the largest mental hospital in Britain, and pioneered the use of electroencephalograms (EEGs). During its time it had its own church, farms, railway, telephone exchange, post office, reservoirs, gas works, brewery, orchestra, brass band, ballroom and butchers.

The hospital officially opened on 1 April 1873. In 1878 a new annexe (later known as St. John's Division) was built on 68 acres of land to the north of the site. The annexe was completed in 1880 and accommodated 115 patients and, by the special agreement of the Postmaster General, the hospital's own dedicated Post Office. In 1884, a sanatorium was established in the grounds for patients with infectious diseases.

In 1892 works began for the grounds to be illuminated by electric lamps; these works were completed in 1894. Around this time an annexe called Cameron House was opened to the northwest of the main building, joined in 1912 by a third annexe, later to become known as St Margaret's division. By 1915 the number of inmates was recorded as 2,820 - more than double the asylum's original capacity. In 1918 the New West Annexe (St Margaret's) was commandeered for the treatment of war casualties: patients who died during treatment were buried in the institution's private cemetery at the northern edge of the site.

In 1923, the name 'Whittingham Asylum' was dropped in favour of "Whittingham Mental Hospital". By 1939, the number of patients was 3533, with a staff of 548, making it the largest mental hospital in Great Britain.

It closed in 1995.

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ACID- REFLUX

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Well they have been busy boys :)

Nice to see some current exterior shots

I keep meaning to get the Quadcopter up here before it"s any worse and get some aerial stuff.

I wouldn"t mind but half of those corridors were blocked off with steel panels so you couldn"t go between the outer buildings anyway, just leaving the longer ones open @ the main halls as now.

I wonder if they"re gonna leave the main buildings and just demolish all the ancillary stuff like corridors and extensions ?

I"ve never seen any pics from the older buildings behind the social club, where the caravans are now. Even on Google Earth it has large trees growing out of them.

Well done on not getting busted or should i say squashed :eek:
 

raisinwing

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Jeeez, shame, but it's been a long time coming. Whittingham will always hold good memories for me.
 

urbexpreston

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Hey Aunties Knickers.... we met u inside the building this morning near the main hall, three of us , just registered with this site so I will attempt to post some pics of today and previous explores, it was nice bumping into you :)
 

Leeds(Ex)plorer

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
So sad to see, how many fuckin houses do people need in england? Just build some in the empty fields next door!

A fuck load more than there currently are available!

Why would you build houses on a prestine field when you can knock down a fetid old building utilise the land and keep the green land as is?

Nice report AK :thumb
 

Ojay

Admin
Staff member
Admin
It is a shame these fine old buildings couldn't have been put to better use all them years ago, I guess too much asbestos and other stuff simply rendered them useless as is cheaper to bulldoze than fix up
 

Session9

A life backwards
28DL Full Member
Those caravans look like they are going to have a race...
for the pikey challenge cup 2014 :)
 

H1971

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Ah it was a really good day, shame she is in such a state now. You've still managed to get some great shots :)
 
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