St. Michael's Hospital, Enfield

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Pete

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Please be aware this has long since gone and is being included for posterity. All the pictures are mine from 1994 and 1996. Unfortunately only exterior photos from a camera that came free with a food mixer. I'd love to know if anyone else remembers this place.

Originally opened as the Enfield Workhouse in 1827 it was later taken over by the Edmonton union and much extended. Children were placed there until Chase Farm hospital was built and it eventually ended its days as a geriatric hospital.

The hospital one of my first explores and was a fantastic place although a total death trap. It had been empty for about ten years. In fact, i never remembered it in use and at school it was surrounded by a certain mystique.

It was truly an old fashioned hospital completely stuck in a time warp with painted signage little changed from before the NHS takeover in 1948.

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Surprisingly for an urbanised area, it wasn't really vandalised until a major fire destroyed the top floor and roof.

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The fire, with fireman hosing the flames from a cherry-picker.
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The back of the main building.

This hastened its demise which, came in the spring of 1996 and the site is now occupied by a block of flats. Wards for the local PCT are still in use in newer buildings at the back of the site.
 
Re: St. Michael's Hospital - LONG DEAD and GONE

It's a shame that these amazing buildings get broken up and thrown away. The government is bemoaning it's lot on housing and I can't understand why the hell they don't renovate these places into housing???

The stupid redbrick homes and poster board flats they chuck up cost more than it would be to sort out an existing site. I find it very sad.
 
Re: St. Michael's Hospital - LONG DEAD and GONE

The dated ST Michaels sign is great! Must have been great to have been able to explore before things had been modernised to the degree that they often are in abandoned hospitals now.
 
Re: St. Michael's Hospital - LONG DEAD and GONE

Reaperman;10856; said:
The dated ST Michaels sign is great! Must have been great to have been able to explore before things had been modernised to the degree that they often are in abandoned hospitals now.

Hi RM and Cobweb

That sign really was stunning - they put a new drive directly through where it stood, but i understood that it was carefully removed and preserved. It hasn't turned up anywhere though...

Pete
 
Re: St. Michael's Hospital - LONG DEAD and GONE

Hi Pete,

Very interesting report :)
Also interesting to note the opening date of 1827 (most Workhouses were opened in the 1830's, I believe after the Poor Laws were introduced)

Real shame that yet again, an opportunity was lost to re-use the buildings (well, perhaps the burnt out bit would be left out!):rolleyes:
This place reminds me of St. Mary's Hospital (formally Colchester Workhouse).
This too was totally demolished, apart from the Admin building, a few years back:mad:

Thanks again,

Lb:cool:
 
Re: St. Michael's Hospital - LONG DEAD and GONE

Hi LB,

The date of opening is unusual being before (but so close to) the inauguration date of the new unions. It was originally the Enfield Parish Workhouse, but with the 1834 poor law act this was incorporated into Edmonton Union. After the new union opened its workhouse in Upper Edmonton (now part of the North Middlesex hospital site) the Enfield one became soley used at various times for children (as a union school until Chase farm was built in 1883) or the elderly (more or less until the main building closed).

It is a pity the place was demolished, although at the time i never expected it to be restored so it wasn't so much of a blow, particularly after the fire. That said, it would have looked great renovated - certainly better than John Keats Lodge which replaced it whilst trying to copy what it looked like.

Pete
 
Re: St. Michael's Hospital - LONG DEAD and GONE

Evenin' Pete,

Thanks for the extra info. I always find it very ironic that a buildings such as St. Mary's stand the test of time, and with some tlc, would last for many more years, only to be lost through cut-backs & demolition!:rolleyes:

Lb:cool:
 

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