With the rumour that demolition was closing in on the hospital, Myself, The Stig, H1971 and Skapunkmetalskater were up at stupid o'clock to see what was left of the old girl. On arrival we bumped into another explorer who was on route to the water tower, who kindly informed us that demo had most definately started and crew were sleeping in caravans on site.
We made our way across the site to find that all the corridors joining buildings had been removed and the site itself is now wide open so being stealth like was almost impossible. Parts of the main corridor remain. Before we could get away from the main corridor, looking through one of the gaping holes in the side of the building, we were met with one of the demo machines heading our way, once it passed where we were we decided to make our escape. Due to the condition of the old girl i doubt it will be standing much longer.
History
Whittingham Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in the parish of Whittingham, near Preston, Lancashire, England.
The hospital was founded in 1869 and grew to be the largest mental hospital in Britain, and pioneered the use of electroencephalograms (EEGs). During its time it had its own church, farms, railway, telephone exchange, post office, reservoirs, gas works, brewery, orchestra, brass band, ballroom and butchers.
The hospital officially opened on 1 April 1873. In 1878 a new annexe (later known as St. John's Division) was built on 68 acres of land to the north of the site. The annexe was completed in 1880 and accommodated 115 patients and, by the special agreement of the Postmaster General, the hospital's own dedicated Post Office. In 1884, a sanatorium was established in the grounds for patients with infectious diseases.
In 1892 works began for the grounds to be illuminated by electric lamps; these works were completed in 1894. Around this time an annexe called Cameron House was opened to the northwest of the main building, joined in 1912 by a third annexe, later to become known as St Margaret's division. By 1915 the number of inmates was recorded as 2,820 - more than double the asylum's original capacity. In 1918 the New West Annexe (St Margaret's) was commandeered for the treatment of war casualties: patients who died during treatment were buried in the institution's private cemetery at the northern edge of the site.
In 1923, the name 'Whittingham Asylum' was dropped in favour of "Whittingham Mental Hospital". By 1939, the number of patients was 3533, with a staff of 548, making it the largest mental hospital in Great Britain.
It closed in 1995.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674149333/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674716114/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674710894/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674705784/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674356225/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674393543/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674344695/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674340795/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674337015/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674334035/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674171803/
We made our way across the site to find that all the corridors joining buildings had been removed and the site itself is now wide open so being stealth like was almost impossible. Parts of the main corridor remain. Before we could get away from the main corridor, looking through one of the gaping holes in the side of the building, we were met with one of the demo machines heading our way, once it passed where we were we decided to make our escape. Due to the condition of the old girl i doubt it will be standing much longer.
History
Whittingham Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in the parish of Whittingham, near Preston, Lancashire, England.
The hospital was founded in 1869 and grew to be the largest mental hospital in Britain, and pioneered the use of electroencephalograms (EEGs). During its time it had its own church, farms, railway, telephone exchange, post office, reservoirs, gas works, brewery, orchestra, brass band, ballroom and butchers.
The hospital officially opened on 1 April 1873. In 1878 a new annexe (later known as St. John's Division) was built on 68 acres of land to the north of the site. The annexe was completed in 1880 and accommodated 115 patients and, by the special agreement of the Postmaster General, the hospital's own dedicated Post Office. In 1884, a sanatorium was established in the grounds for patients with infectious diseases.
In 1892 works began for the grounds to be illuminated by electric lamps; these works were completed in 1894. Around this time an annexe called Cameron House was opened to the northwest of the main building, joined in 1912 by a third annexe, later to become known as St Margaret's division. By 1915 the number of inmates was recorded as 2,820 - more than double the asylum's original capacity. In 1918 the New West Annexe (St Margaret's) was commandeered for the treatment of war casualties: patients who died during treatment were buried in the institution's private cemetery at the northern edge of the site.
In 1923, the name 'Whittingham Asylum' was dropped in favour of "Whittingham Mental Hospital". By 1939, the number of patients was 3533, with a staff of 548, making it the largest mental hospital in Great Britain.
It closed in 1995.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674149333/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674716114/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674710894/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674705784/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674356225/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674393543/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674344695/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674340795/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674337015/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674334035/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/101868045@N03/13674171803/
