Royal Papworth Cardiac Hospital - Bernhard Baron Building
Introduction
I tend to avoid reposting places that have already been compiled and posted but after 2019 the opportunity to venture within the former cardiac specialist hospital of Royal Papworth saw changes put a pause on completing the place as a whole for myself. As security ramped up, the buildings were cleared, a failed sale went ahead and police training took hold; the buildings were far from being considered totally vacant.
As 2022 came to closure, getting out was becoming limited and I found myself making a few solo wanders around the site to get a peek inside after nearly three years.
Eventually a way in seemed possible so I contacted xplorerX and we got on with giving it a look.
The History
This building has been covered a few times now in a handful of reports posted here and elsewhere, including my own, to give an insight into the fascinating history of the hospital.
Previous coverage:
(Report - - Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard - May 2019 | Asylums and Hospitals) by Myself
(Report - - Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge - May 2019 | Asylums and Hospitals) by xplorerX
(Report - - The Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard – May 2019 | Asylums and Hospitals) by Mockney Reject
In Short
Starting as a small colony under the direction of TB officer Dr Pendrill Varrier-Jones at Papworth hall the hospital treated cases of Tuberculosis of those from the battlefields. The the care plans introduced by Dr.Pendrill proved successful the site slowly grew from the 1930's and post World War 2 upon the formation of the NHS, the nature of the hospital's patient type drew in surgeons due to the ever improving facilities. As the interest and reasearch assosiated with the hospital grew it would soon become one of the first to perform an open heart surgery in the UK.
As the 1970's came to a close the hospital would again become a first by performing the first heart-transplant in the UK, then the first heart, lung and liver transplant in 1986, the first to implant a battery operated heart into a patient and in 2015 the first heart-transplant from a respiratory dead donor.
Developments would further into treatments of almost all cardiac and chest illnesses throughout the remaining life of these buildings until services transferred in 2019 to Cambridge.
The Visit
As briefly covered during the introduction, it had been a long while since the hospital had been seen in any detail. As the snow fell I found myself along the old duck pond avoiding snowballs from the locals in the early evening looking at a handful of buildings I had failed to see within.
Of primary focus was the ornate art-deco designed Bernhard Baron Building.
This building is named after a cigarette maker and then cigarette machine maker of Bernhard Baron (1850 - 1929) who in later life, after migrating to the UK, founded the Baron cigarette machine company and turned his philanthropy towards a trust set up to support British hospitals.
This building is the most prominent of the two main structures as it snakes the hospital from its' estate towards the public view of the road and would later form the building where most would enter and exit the facility. Internally it is mostly comprised of non-surgical wards with only one X-ray suite and a few rehabilitation areas.
Having figured the rough routine of security (thoroughly annoying the dogs) and the spots where I could keep out of public view, a few panicked reconnaissance runs eventually revealed a potential ingress into the structures before returning. We hopped inside after determining the buildings were clear and then called it as the sun started to set before turning up with an quick and easy task ahead.
Once inside and free to roam, it was clear there was almost nothing left to see that excites most of us yet a few features of the hospitals' design could be admired a little more.
Anyways,
The Photos
External view, looking north.
Inside
Administrative and reception areas
Floors.
The building is three stories high at the front although, being built on a hill, the front first floor then becomes the upper ground floor where most of the interest is situated.
Most noticeably in the forward and most dated sections of this building was the characteristically high amount of natural lighting. This was considered important in an age where giving patients as much connection to the outside was considered vital to recovery and went so far as having balconies along most of the building.
Starting towards the front then working back.
Towards the centre south of the building this is the most outdated ward.
X-Ray room, empty.
Continuing back (east)
Introduction
I tend to avoid reposting places that have already been compiled and posted but after 2019 the opportunity to venture within the former cardiac specialist hospital of Royal Papworth saw changes put a pause on completing the place as a whole for myself. As security ramped up, the buildings were cleared, a failed sale went ahead and police training took hold; the buildings were far from being considered totally vacant.
As 2022 came to closure, getting out was becoming limited and I found myself making a few solo wanders around the site to get a peek inside after nearly three years.
Eventually a way in seemed possible so I contacted xplorerX and we got on with giving it a look.
The History
This building has been covered a few times now in a handful of reports posted here and elsewhere, including my own, to give an insight into the fascinating history of the hospital.
Previous coverage:
(Report - - Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard - May 2019 | Asylums and Hospitals) by Myself
(Report - - Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge - May 2019 | Asylums and Hospitals) by xplorerX
(Report - - The Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard – May 2019 | Asylums and Hospitals) by Mockney Reject
In Short
Starting as a small colony under the direction of TB officer Dr Pendrill Varrier-Jones at Papworth hall the hospital treated cases of Tuberculosis of those from the battlefields. The the care plans introduced by Dr.Pendrill proved successful the site slowly grew from the 1930's and post World War 2 upon the formation of the NHS, the nature of the hospital's patient type drew in surgeons due to the ever improving facilities. As the interest and reasearch assosiated with the hospital grew it would soon become one of the first to perform an open heart surgery in the UK.
As the 1970's came to a close the hospital would again become a first by performing the first heart-transplant in the UK, then the first heart, lung and liver transplant in 1986, the first to implant a battery operated heart into a patient and in 2015 the first heart-transplant from a respiratory dead donor.
Developments would further into treatments of almost all cardiac and chest illnesses throughout the remaining life of these buildings until services transferred in 2019 to Cambridge.
The Visit
As briefly covered during the introduction, it had been a long while since the hospital had been seen in any detail. As the snow fell I found myself along the old duck pond avoiding snowballs from the locals in the early evening looking at a handful of buildings I had failed to see within.
Of primary focus was the ornate art-deco designed Bernhard Baron Building.
This building is named after a cigarette maker and then cigarette machine maker of Bernhard Baron (1850 - 1929) who in later life, after migrating to the UK, founded the Baron cigarette machine company and turned his philanthropy towards a trust set up to support British hospitals.
This building is the most prominent of the two main structures as it snakes the hospital from its' estate towards the public view of the road and would later form the building where most would enter and exit the facility. Internally it is mostly comprised of non-surgical wards with only one X-ray suite and a few rehabilitation areas.
Having figured the rough routine of security (thoroughly annoying the dogs) and the spots where I could keep out of public view, a few panicked reconnaissance runs eventually revealed a potential ingress into the structures before returning. We hopped inside after determining the buildings were clear and then called it as the sun started to set before turning up with an quick and easy task ahead.
Once inside and free to roam, it was clear there was almost nothing left to see that excites most of us yet a few features of the hospitals' design could be admired a little more.
Anyways,
The Photos
External view, looking north.
Inside
Administrative and reception areas
Floors.
The building is three stories high at the front although, being built on a hill, the front first floor then becomes the upper ground floor where most of the interest is situated.
Most noticeably in the forward and most dated sections of this building was the characteristically high amount of natural lighting. This was considered important in an age where giving patients as much connection to the outside was considered vital to recovery and went so far as having balconies along most of the building.
Starting towards the front then working back.
Towards the centre south of the building this is the most outdated ward.
X-Ray room, empty.
Continuing back (east)
Bedside lamp, up close.
Anyway, that'll be all all.
KP_
Posted from a Samsung Smart Fridge.
Last edited:
