The Red Asylum

I chanced upon this asylum quite unexpectedly. As the site is in immaculate condition, I shall not state where it is, nor what part of the country it is in. I don’t want it to be trashed. It is to this end that I am code naming it “The Red Asylum” due to the red brick it is built of.

The asylum is a large one, comprising of numerous wards. Once inside for the first time, I felt quite disoriented. The corridors seemed to stretch for miles and echoed noisily. I’ve known about this place since October, but had no idea it was derelict – almost no information on the place at all. And then, about two months ago, I went around just to see what it was like. Lo and behold, the place was shuttered up. But, there were contractors moving things out of it. So, I went home and prepared my camera stuff. I went to bed really early and woke up at 5 the next morning, ready to go to the place.

I’ve got to say, this is the first ever asylum I have explored. And I can tell you, the seven year wait to explore one has paid off so damn well. I found one in good condition! I’ve done the maths: 95% of Victorian/early 20th century mental hospitals have either been demolished or converted. This is one of a kind.

The explore was full of adrenaline. I found my way into the hospital and began my explore. It was cold inside, but the lighting worked (at the time) so it wasn’t too dark. I began by making my way to the corridors and immediately went to the main hall, that being something I had wanted to photograph first. I think the following photographs will tell the rest of the story! Enjoy.

  • Administration.
  • Main entrance.
  • West wing.
  • South Western wing.
  • Kitchen block.
  • Foliage.
  • East wing.
  • Administration offices.
  • Star of David.
  • Star of David
  • Boarded bay window.
  • Large ward building.
  • Another ward.
  • Blossom.
  • Wards.
  • Main hall exterior.
  • Exterior of a ward.
  • Stairwell.
  • Evening sun rays.
  • Looking up at the entrance.
  • Looking down the arched corridor.
  • Looking down towards the main hall.
  • Endless corridors.
  • Spooky.
  • Intersection.
  • Looking down the kitchen corridor.
  • Stairs.
  • Back up the kitchen corridor.
  • Darkness.
  • Intersection.
  • Entrance to a ward.
  • Looking towards a biohazard area.
  • Quarantine…!
  • Hospital bed.
  • Payphone.
  • An old medicine store.
  • Medicine cabinets.
  • Courtyard view.
  • Illuminated staircase.
  • Ivy covered window.
  • Rotting sash windows.
  • Green door.
  • Looking down towards a ward.
  • Sunlight against the wall.
  • The lift face.
  • Large empty ward.
  • Lightshade.
  • Trio of sash windows.
  • Looking east.
  • Looking north.
  • Staff kitchen.
  • Bay window.
  • Pink stairs.
  • Chapel components.
  • Main hall.
  • Main hall, looking east.
  • East window.
  • East window again.
  • Looking at the staff flats.
  • Pink corridor.
  • Curtain rails.
  • Gloomy bay window.
  • Reflections.
  • Warped Star of David.
  • Lonely zimmer frame.
  • Whiteboard.
  • A ward converted into a cafeteria.
  • Patient art.
  • More patient art.
  • Patient graffiti.
  • More patient graffiti.
  • Another payphone.
  • Looking west.
  • Library.
  • Lecture room.
  • Stage in the lecture room.
  • Computer suite.
  • Hydrotherapy bath 1.
  • Hydrotherapy bath 1.
  • Hydrotherapy bath 1.
  • Hydrotherapy bath 2.
  • Hydrotherapy bath 2.
  • Control buttons.
  • Hydrotherapy bath 2; dials and taps.