Kesteven County Asylum (Rauceby Hospital) - June 2012

Kesteven County Asylum, latterly known as Rauceby Hospital, opened in 1902. Designed by prolific asylum architect G. T. Hine, the buildings followed his much used compact arrow plan. East Sussex County Asylum (Hellingly) shared many similarities in design and layout with Rauceby.


The main hospital building was closed in 1998 and abandoned for several years. In the early 2000s, exploring this asylum was popular but from 2004, parts of the site underwent redevelopment to convert it into private housing. The water tower was demolished in 2006. When I started in exploring in 2008, much of the site was developed and exploring what was left was considered pointless as other asylums had grown in popularity, such as Cane Hill and West Park. However, ward blocks and the admin building remained totally abandoned, despite having been stripped in preparation for conversion.


A couple of years into my urbex career, I came to realise that there were parts of Rauceby which were still explorable, even if they were stripped. Being fascinated by Hine designed asylums, I determined to see the place and am glad I now have! Tumbles and SeffyboyUK were excellent companions.


Before you go...

Rauceby Hospital (along with the nearby village of South Rauceby) was served by the adjoining railway station, which is still in use. I don't know of any other asylum railway lines which are still in use. Does anyone else?

Nice photos, I like the look of it. It's been off the radar for a while.

I think the now barely used Hartwood railway station was built for the asylum.

Fantastic write up Lula! Know how much love your Hines varieties
some lovely shots of what is a really stripped site. Moar!

Lovely pix. Really captured an eerie feel to the place. Thanks for sharing.

cool place and great pics ,,,and i would love a greenhouse that big whooop whooop grow lots of veg

Some really nice shots there,thanks for sharing.

I remember chatting to you on the phone just before you got there Lovely photos

rail line may be active but the station is only just, 2 stops each way a day at the present, Here's how it used to look in 1967

Great pics thanks for posting,

It might be a shell, and so many are now, but we thought it was worth a look when we went earlier in the year.

Nice post- is there not tunnels there ?

No tunnels now, all filled in by Wilson homes when they demolished the corridors 4 years ago, might be a few remaining bits where they go under whats left of the female wards

ur pics show she still has an appeal, luv the moody sepia tones

criminal that developers flattened the tower....thanks for updating us!

The number of asylums in Britain really seems over the top! You'd think the whole country was in the bin at one time. This one is really gloomy! Nice report.

Only just seen this! Excellent photos Lula, was a really good trip

awesome pics there, i do like the idea of the station for the asylum. never heard of that one before

chapmand said:

awesome pics there, i do like the idea of the station for the asylum. never heard of that one before

Click to expand...

Thank you.

A great number of asylums had their own stations; the hospitals were very often built in the countryside for two reasons:
1. The fresh air and green open space was though to be good for the patients, and
2. The Victorians wanted to hide people who didn't conform to the norms of society away in the countryside so they couldn't see or hear them!
Since these hospitals were outside of major cities, a railway station was often necessary to transport patients, staff, visitors and most importantly, supplies, to and from the hospital.
Makes sense really!

the station was there first to primarily support Rauceby village a mile away, it used to have a seperate frieght siding and platform to supply the hospital with building materials and later coal for the boilers