Standish Hospital, Stroud.
----------
History
In 1853, James Dutton, 3rd Baron Sherborne leased Standish House to Gloucester-based businessman Richard Potter, son of Radical MP Richard Potter and the Managing Director of the Great Western Railway. Potter lived at the house with his wife Lawrencina and their nine daughters. Three were born in the property, including later sociologist, economist, socialist and social reformer Martha Beatrice Webb, Lady Passfield. In 1884, widow Annie Poole King leased Standish House on a contract term of 21 years from Edward Dutton, 4th Baron Sherborne, at a rate of £150pa. The widow of a shipping magnate, she moved in with five children, plus a house staff of a coachman, cook, housekeeper, and gardener. The outbreak of the Boer War reduced global shipping rates, and particularly the rand, which greatly affected Mrs King's income. In 1897 the family left the house, and downsized with their entire staff to Newark Park at Ozleworth.
Post World War I, Gloucestershire County Council bought Standish Park in its entiry from Lord Sherbourne. Subsequently given to the British Red Cross, it was pressed into service as a military hospital. Post 1920, it was turned into a sanatorium to treat tuberculosis. After becoming a US Army medical facility during the Second World War, it was nationalised as part of the National Health Service, specialising in orthopaedics, rheumatology and respiratory care across the whole of Gloucestershire. In this role, it undertook joint replacements, as well as caring for coal miners from the Forest of Dean with serious respiratory problems.
After a gross overspend by Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust, Minister for Health John Hutton agreed to close the hospital and the last patients were moved to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in December 2004. The site then fell into disrepair until being bought by the Homes and Communities Agency in early 2014.
----------
Been a long time coming this one. I've wanted to get inside ever since I used it as a case study for my GCSE Business Studies coursework ffs, but a glut of PIRs and a friendly, albeit technically insane, security guard invariably put an end to that. Fast forward 5 years, and when I heard that the site had finally been sold I thought it would be worth checking out again to see if the security situation had changed.
I've visited on a number of occasions with WhoDaresWins, Seffy, huey, PopPunkJamie and a genial lady whose name I have unfortunately forgotten! Standish Hospital was obviously one of those NHS gems; a hospital in parkland with 1930s wards, peacocks in the grounds and high patient satisfaction and recovery rates. The hospital itself is a hotchpotch of different architectural styles, and whilst fairly stripped, contains many original features and a sense of datedness that the hospitals which have been cropping up more recently seem to lack. The alarm systems are still on which, coupled with a security team who do their job properly, adds an edge to what could otherwise be a fairly derp explore. It's also nice to see somewhere with such little vandalism, and with such photogenic natural decay..
How flickr of me
'C'-Block
A lovely 1930s modernist ward block.
Curved ward and corridor:
Original Critall doors:
Occupational Therapy
Just the one photo for completeness. A boring building, but when compared with the destruction of the rest of the hospital it was interesting to see how this one was in mint condition. Particularly when you consider it is some temporary prefab thing stuck onto the hillside:
Main House
This was where the security guard used to live, so I never thought I'd see inside. I was surprised by how much of the original house remained; cornicing, fireplaces, mantles, staircases, architraves and doors, even a flagstone floor in the basement. My photos are utterly gash as I was expecting it to be a short visit, what with the security hut being next door and the alarms screaming away.
Main staircase and hall:
Drawing room (note the cornicing):
Lovely old dumbwaiter on the servants staircase, possibly original?
I'm sure that wacko who started the toilet thread will appreciate this one
Boiler House and Stores
Actually quite interesting as originally part of the Georgian stable block of the main house, though my photos probably don't do it justice. For a more comprehensive report of the works department (and the morgue and nurses home which I haven't bothered to include) click here.
Service tunnels:
Hydrotherapy and Physiotherapy
This was paid for entirely by fundraising by the friends of the hospital, seems such a waste:
'E'-Block
Another stylish 1930s ward with loads of original features (Bakelite signs etc) and striking views right down to the Severn Bridge:
Love the 1930s tiles, and the ornate iron gate on the stairwell:
Kiddie ward:
Thanks for reading, and beware the alarms!
----------
History
In 1853, James Dutton, 3rd Baron Sherborne leased Standish House to Gloucester-based businessman Richard Potter, son of Radical MP Richard Potter and the Managing Director of the Great Western Railway. Potter lived at the house with his wife Lawrencina and their nine daughters. Three were born in the property, including later sociologist, economist, socialist and social reformer Martha Beatrice Webb, Lady Passfield. In 1884, widow Annie Poole King leased Standish House on a contract term of 21 years from Edward Dutton, 4th Baron Sherborne, at a rate of £150pa. The widow of a shipping magnate, she moved in with five children, plus a house staff of a coachman, cook, housekeeper, and gardener. The outbreak of the Boer War reduced global shipping rates, and particularly the rand, which greatly affected Mrs King's income. In 1897 the family left the house, and downsized with their entire staff to Newark Park at Ozleworth.
Post World War I, Gloucestershire County Council bought Standish Park in its entiry from Lord Sherbourne. Subsequently given to the British Red Cross, it was pressed into service as a military hospital. Post 1920, it was turned into a sanatorium to treat tuberculosis. After becoming a US Army medical facility during the Second World War, it was nationalised as part of the National Health Service, specialising in orthopaedics, rheumatology and respiratory care across the whole of Gloucestershire. In this role, it undertook joint replacements, as well as caring for coal miners from the Forest of Dean with serious respiratory problems.
After a gross overspend by Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust, Minister for Health John Hutton agreed to close the hospital and the last patients were moved to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in December 2004. The site then fell into disrepair until being bought by the Homes and Communities Agency in early 2014.
----------
Been a long time coming this one. I've wanted to get inside ever since I used it as a case study for my GCSE Business Studies coursework ffs, but a glut of PIRs and a friendly, albeit technically insane, security guard invariably put an end to that. Fast forward 5 years, and when I heard that the site had finally been sold I thought it would be worth checking out again to see if the security situation had changed.
I've visited on a number of occasions with WhoDaresWins, Seffy, huey, PopPunkJamie and a genial lady whose name I have unfortunately forgotten! Standish Hospital was obviously one of those NHS gems; a hospital in parkland with 1930s wards, peacocks in the grounds and high patient satisfaction and recovery rates. The hospital itself is a hotchpotch of different architectural styles, and whilst fairly stripped, contains many original features and a sense of datedness that the hospitals which have been cropping up more recently seem to lack. The alarm systems are still on which, coupled with a security team who do their job properly, adds an edge to what could otherwise be a fairly derp explore. It's also nice to see somewhere with such little vandalism, and with such photogenic natural decay..
How flickr of me
'C'-Block
A lovely 1930s modernist ward block.
Curved ward and corridor:
Original Critall doors:
Occupational Therapy
Just the one photo for completeness. A boring building, but when compared with the destruction of the rest of the hospital it was interesting to see how this one was in mint condition. Particularly when you consider it is some temporary prefab thing stuck onto the hillside:
Main House
This was where the security guard used to live, so I never thought I'd see inside. I was surprised by how much of the original house remained; cornicing, fireplaces, mantles, staircases, architraves and doors, even a flagstone floor in the basement. My photos are utterly gash as I was expecting it to be a short visit, what with the security hut being next door and the alarms screaming away.
Main staircase and hall:
Drawing room (note the cornicing):
Lovely old dumbwaiter on the servants staircase, possibly original?
I'm sure that wacko who started the toilet thread will appreciate this one
Boiler House and Stores
Actually quite interesting as originally part of the Georgian stable block of the main house, though my photos probably don't do it justice. For a more comprehensive report of the works department (and the morgue and nurses home which I haven't bothered to include) click here.
Service tunnels:
Hydrotherapy and Physiotherapy
This was paid for entirely by fundraising by the friends of the hospital, seems such a waste:
'E'-Block
Another stylish 1930s ward with loads of original features (Bakelite signs etc) and striking views right down to the Severn Bridge:
Love the 1930s tiles, and the ornate iron gate on the stairwell:
Kiddie ward:
Thanks for reading, and beware the alarms!
Last edited:
thanks for postin' 
