St Crispin's Hospital was a large psychiatric facility on the outskirts of Duston village in Northampton - it was established under the name of Northampton Mental Hospital or the Berrywood Asylum in 1876.
The asylum closed in 1995 and during its long history was turned over to the military for use in both World Wars.
At one point it was transferred to the National Health Service, during which it saw its highest population intake and a further extension added to the site, with two more female working patient villas being constructed in 1954.
The grounds to the south of the hospital was developed to be used by the then 'mental handicap' services during the early 1970’s and was to be one of the last major long stay facilities of its kind in England.
After it closed, the derelict asylum suffered arson attacks which saw over 80 firefighters respond to an emergency call as a large fire broke out in August 2014 - one of the buildings was also seriously damaged in March 2015 after it was set on fire by arsonists.
During its operating years, St Crispin's Hospital was where many people were kept and sometimes subjected to unthinkable treatments, released, readmitted and died.
Mabel Eva Adkins
According to records, Mabel was admitted into St Crispin's on 5 February 1889 - when she was only six years-of-age.
Her notes are brief, and claim that she was taken to St Crispin's because of a diagnosis of "idiocy".
Mabel died at the asylum less than nine months after her admission, on 1 November 1889.
The cause of her death is not noted, however it is unlikely that the child died from "idiocy", but poor-hygiene and abuse are more likely to be the cause.
It was reported that in asylums there was no running water, no circulating air, no heat.
There were cruel asylum attendants who not only ridiculed the mentally afflicted but beat and allegedly brutally murdered them in front of other patients.
This sad truth could have been the cause of death for many patients, including the young children who were admitted into these establishments.
There was not much of the old hospital left, some has been converted into luxury apartments and many of the buildings have been demolished and what is left is either decaying badly or has been destroyed by fire.
The clock tower still stands strong and is impressive and make of it what you want in the last picture.
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