Harperbury Hospital Jan 2016

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mookster

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I know what you are thinking - Oh not another Harperbury post showing the same utterly ruined shells of buildings - but you'd be wrong. For there is a whole lot more left here than I think most people realise. The wards and therapy buildings that closed in 2001 are absolutely ruined but various other areas have been slowly but surely abandoned leaving many of the buildings that once formed the middle of the asylum now empty. The western half of the site, which included the padded cells and the hydrotherapy pool has been demolished to make way for a new hospital building but there is still a surprising amount left to see. Sadly the main hall was locked up but the other parts we saw more than made up for it - the personal highlight for me being the multi-storey model hospital located in the old main stores building. We also literally walked into the worlds most apathetic security guard, who kind of grunted at us and just wandered off...weird.

In 1924 Middlesex County Council purchased the Porters Park estate, comprising a total area of 420 acres, upon which the aerodrome had been built. The area would eventually become the site of both Harperbury and Shenley hospitals

The first patients were 8 adult males detained under The Mental Deficiency Act 1913. When the construction of new buildings began in 1929, these patients were involved in basic labouring.
The first of the new buildings were opened in February 1931 and by December housed 342 patients. The site continued to expand - with the addition of female and childrens units - until 1936. After this expansion, the hospital was officially opened by Sir Kingsley Wood - the health minister at the time - in May 1936 and by 1939 the site had 1,194 patients.

In 1948 the hospital became part of the NHS and was renamed Harperbury Hospital in 1950. By 1964 overcrowding had become a major problem - accommodation designed for 1,354 patients was housing 1,587.

During the 1970's the hospital became less institutionalised and in 1974 patients started to be discharged back into the community.

In 1986 the hospital was put under central management, being linked with Leavesden and Cell Barnes Hospitals.
It was eventually announced during the 1990's that the three hospitals would be subjected to phased closures, with patients initially being transferred to Harperbury from the other two hospitals. Harperbury was the last to close, officially shutting up shop in 2001.

However, parts of the site remained live - new bungalows to house 80-90 residents with learning difficulties were built in 2008, and two medium secure mental health units were added in 2009. The site was renamed Kingsley Green in July 2011, after Sir Kingsley Wood

The ruined parts are absolutely ruined, and the mint parts are absolutely mint. It's a very strange mixture of total utter decay and buildings which are as fresh as they come complete with running water.

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Thanks for looking, more photos can be found on my flickr :)
 
That's really strange mookster..I was only talking about this place last night and planning a visit here in a few weeks after going somewhere else..I did hear there was more to see now than just the out laying villas.but I would still like to see them as well.no matter how trashed they are..shame you could not get in the hall.you got some lovely shots from here though
 
Just when I thought I could start celebrating the demise of asylum reports... thanks a bunch! ;)
 
Like you said in your report - a mixture of dereliction and minted areas. At least you had somewhere to wash your hair. And, was there glowing embers in that fireplace?
 
Cheers guys, yes a lot more left to see than most people think when you mention Harperbury to them. Glowing embers? A trick of the light most likely ha.
 
Nice shots you got. i never got into the mint bit last time. but it aint going to be there much longer as bloor homes has bought the land and have had plans okayed for housing and flats. if you wanna see this place best get there soon as it wont be there much longer. im gunna make a visit before it all goes i think. this was my first ever explore on my own lol... happy days :)
 

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