WINCHCOMBE HOSPITAL
'Here's another mediocre Cotswold hospital for you guys' stated the potent Clebby in his report. Well, i beg to differ Sir, i found the place charming- there's just enough originality and left behind items to warm the heart and gladden the soul.
The fact that we were the first in and that its been sealed for years added to it for me. Full respect to Cleb for it was his idea, he had waited patiently and when the time was right we struck (more like a pair of arthritic 40-a-day pensioners than the SAS storming in ,but we did strike.)
HISTORY
Er, in short, its short. There is none. Well, i can tell you the place was built in the early 1900's on the site of the old 17 century tobacco fields. Originally it was a private house owned by Mrs Bird, before becoming a hospital in 1926. Anymore than that and i would have to make it up.
WHAT HAPPENED THEN?
Closing in 2008 it was used for NHS storage but local petitions and pressure, not to mention the bills keeping the place semi open ( almost £50k over 4 years, ) meant that it was put on the market. The proceeds from the sale were given towards the new Tewkesbury hospital being built.
Sold to Mr David Attwood, he of Plywood International fame, for £2.25m because he didn't have any access to his new mansion ( his drive is now the hospitals original entrance and car park) and also because he wanted to 'protect it from development.' He immediately knocked down the horrible later extension and had the place boarded up. Why he's chosen now to remove the boarding is anyone's guess.
Only separated from his residence by a small man made lake on one side and his lawn on the other, and massively overlooked by houses not to mention his handyman and gardener possibly being there made things tricky.
Typically Victorian handsomeness.
With typically large and airy rooms
Into the wards...5 wards with 4 beds in each (and 2 single rooms.)
Nice of them to leave the electric on for us...the small theatre for minor operations
Never seen so many kitchens- all food was cooked on site
Or so many keys, every room seemed to have boxes of them.
Nice colour scheme
The original reception area had the only ceiling damage
Some left behind items..
As the evening drew on we inherited some awesome light
The only stained glass windows were in the downstairs privy!
And some random loveliness to end on...
Is it wrong to have an NHS curtain fetish?
And NO peas!
Hope you enjoyed, and as always, thanks for looking. If you did enjoy please give a 'like' I must beat the insufferable Bertie BB on likes asap!
Cheers guys.
'Here's another mediocre Cotswold hospital for you guys' stated the potent Clebby in his report. Well, i beg to differ Sir, i found the place charming- there's just enough originality and left behind items to warm the heart and gladden the soul.
The fact that we were the first in and that its been sealed for years added to it for me. Full respect to Cleb for it was his idea, he had waited patiently and when the time was right we struck (more like a pair of arthritic 40-a-day pensioners than the SAS storming in ,but we did strike.)
HISTORY
Er, in short, its short. There is none. Well, i can tell you the place was built in the early 1900's on the site of the old 17 century tobacco fields. Originally it was a private house owned by Mrs Bird, before becoming a hospital in 1926. Anymore than that and i would have to make it up.
WHAT HAPPENED THEN?
Closing in 2008 it was used for NHS storage but local petitions and pressure, not to mention the bills keeping the place semi open ( almost £50k over 4 years, ) meant that it was put on the market. The proceeds from the sale were given towards the new Tewkesbury hospital being built.
Sold to Mr David Attwood, he of Plywood International fame, for £2.25m because he didn't have any access to his new mansion ( his drive is now the hospitals original entrance and car park) and also because he wanted to 'protect it from development.' He immediately knocked down the horrible later extension and had the place boarded up. Why he's chosen now to remove the boarding is anyone's guess.
Only separated from his residence by a small man made lake on one side and his lawn on the other, and massively overlooked by houses not to mention his handyman and gardener possibly being there made things tricky.
Typically Victorian handsomeness.
With typically large and airy rooms
Into the wards...5 wards with 4 beds in each (and 2 single rooms.)
Nice of them to leave the electric on for us...the small theatre for minor operations
Never seen so many kitchens- all food was cooked on site
Or so many keys, every room seemed to have boxes of them.
Nice colour scheme
The original reception area had the only ceiling damage
Some left behind items..
As the evening drew on we inherited some awesome light
The only stained glass windows were in the downstairs privy!
And some random loveliness to end on...
Is it wrong to have an NHS curtain fetish?
And NO peas!
Hope you enjoyed, and as always, thanks for looking. If you did enjoy please give a 'like' I must beat the insufferable Bertie BB on likes asap!
Cheers guys.