Report - Market Harborough District Hospital, Market Harborough - March 2019

[mookster]

Sometimes the exploring gods are looking down on you and on this particular day I managed to somehow get around eight locations, which is something I haven't managed for some considerable time if at all in the ten years I've been exploring. This hospital was the first location and a thoroughly enjoyable wander it was, after getting in shortly after sunrise we had the place to ourselves. It's starting to show more signs of idiocy inside with numerous shitty bits of graffiti however there are still some nice areas to be seen despite it being devoid of any and all hospital furnishings.

History (stolen from @Brewtal who stole it from @slayaaaa )

In 1885, the Market Harborough Dispensary is said to have been built here and remained in use until 1909 where it was then replaced by the current hospital. Originally known as the Market Harborough Cottage Hospital and District Nursing Association, Market Harborough District Hospital was built and opened in 1910. It was staffed by a matron, two district nurses, and a probationer and contained 2 wards with 4 beds each, 2 private wards, an operating theatre, three bathrooms and the matrons living quarters.
A public meeting held in Market Harborough on 12th December 1918 proposed that the town should have two war memorials. The first was a column or cross in the town square to commemorate those who died in the Great War, but the second was to be a free library and reading room in the centre of town in recognition of all those who served. The memorial in the square (listed at Grade II) was dedicated on 21st Sept 1921, but the plans for the library never materialised, and instead were transformed into a memorial extension to the Cottage Hospital, opened in 1923. In 2017, the hospital closed due to the opening of the newly built St. Lukes hospital in the same town, the building was sold in the latter half of 2018 and demolition is expected this year with the buildings being replaced by a new 70–bed care home. The war memorial is in the entrance of the building and is listed and proposed to be kept as part of the new plans.

As is customary for me now I only managed to snap a couple of external shots on my phone after we were out the building.

Thanks for looking ​

 

[Brewtal]

Ah good stuff mate glad you got there in the end! Did that access work out for you ok? Got some nice pics there!

That 'slamber city m9' stinks of a Duffy to me!

 

[mookster]

Ah good stuff mate glad you got there in the end! Did that access work out for you ok? Got some nice pics there!

That 'slamber city m9' stinks of a Duffy to me!

Yep went without a hitch, cheers for the heads up. Can see why it took so long for you to find!

 

[MotionlessMike]

Excellent shots Looks like I went after you, even more smashed when I was there. Couldn't believe someone left one of the taps running in one of the wards too.

 

[mookster]

Excellent shots Looks like I went after you, even more smashed when I was there. Couldn't believe someone left one of the taps running in one of the wards too.

This was only a couple of days ago. Tried to focus on the better bits not the ruined parts really. The water in that ward had been turned off, nothing was running out into it on my visit.

 

[Bugsuperstar]

Good stuff mate. Looks decent too.