Report - High Royds Asylum (June 2016)

[Deleted member 77079]

Visit
Seeing as this is a very popular spot amongst urbexers, I thought I'd give it a shot. Went with @LancashireExplorations and two non-members. We also checked out many other places across West Yorkshire, all to no avail.

History
You should already know the history quite well, but I'll briefly explain it. High Royds Hospital, formally West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, was a psychiatric hospital that operated from 1888 till its closure in 2003, due to it being 'outdated and unsuited to modern psychiatric practice'.

The estate consists of 300 acres and several buildings, many of which are being redeveloped and added to, to create a new village named 'High Royds' after the hospital. The buildings take after the architecture of the main building, and will be a good homage to what looks like an incredible hospital.

Pics
I'll not post many photos as most of the areas of the asylum have been posted many times prior, hope you enjoy!

Double doors

Italian mosaic

I love this shot of some amateur defacement

Don't see this place in many reports, thought it was a shower room at first but the chemicals sign leads me to believe otherwise

Awesome ceiling in a very dark room. This really shows the age of the place

Used to change the clock. Anyone know who's calling card the sticker is? I've seen it in a few places!

Thanks for looking!

 

[Yorrick]

Good to finally see the movement up close. Is the date 01 or 07? Have you got any photos of the original parts - frame, maker’s plate, leading off rods, bevel gears, motion-works and counterweights or pendulum?

I’d be interested to know if the original was also a “Potts of Leeds”. Good to see they still use the name in the North as they became part of "Smiths of Derby" in the 1930s.

 

[Deleted member 77079]

The clock movement box says 2/2/01. I'd say it replaced the original.

Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of the clock mechanism, just the one in the post and a photo of the clock change mechanism. Didn't fancy staying up in the tower for long because the wooden floors looked pretty dodgy in certain places! And I also didn't fancy messing around changing lenses up there, the whole visit was shot ultra-wide.

 

[Yorrick]

Interesting they changed the movement just 2 years before closure.

 

[Deleted member 77079]

I'd never thought of that, good point. I can't imagine the owners thought they wouldn't be closing either. I'd imagine replacing those things would cost up to a grand maybe?

 

[Yorrick]

In addition to the movement, there will be a controller somewhere. Usually in the clock room but sometimes in a remote office.

The last time I repaired one, the owners had been quoted £3,500 for a fully fitted replacement similar to this. I mended it for £110.

 

[UrbanD3cay]

nice photos! I think the sticker is Sheards haha.

 

[urblex]

Nice one, the 3rd photo is ace!

 

[tumbles]

Good to finally see the movement up close. Is the date 01 or 07? Have you got any photos of the original parts - frame, maker’s plate, leading off rods, bevel gears, motion-works and counterweights or pendulum?

I’d be interested to know if the original was also a “Potts of Leeds”. Good to see they still use the name in the North as they became part of "Smiths of Derby" in the 1930s.

It's an original Potts clock. The mech was replaced/restored a few years ago as I think some of the originals were yoinked 2008/9 time. If you look at Turks repot from 2006 the original mech was still there then http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/high-r...-yorkshire-clock-tower-finally-03-11-06.t5318

 

[Deleted member 77079]

nice photos! I think the sticker is Sheards haha.

So it is! Cheers for that, I was curious to find out who's it was

 

[Yorrick]

If you look at Turks repot from 2006

Cheers for that mate. You can just see the new movement in @turkey's last photo up there.