Babies Castle, Hawkhurst

[froggie25]

Babies Castle, Hawkhurst.​

Babies Castle was built by Barnado's in August 1886 as the largest home for orphaned babies and young children, under the age of 6 years old.
It was opened in 1886, by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Mary Adelaide. Who was accompanied by her daughter Princess Victoria, later to become Queen Mary, wife of King George V and patron to Dr. Barnardo’s. Queen Mary herself was to become an active patron of the charity and one of many illustrious Royal ladies to do so. Sadly Babies Castle closed in 1965 as a orphanage.
It then was subsequently reopened as a nursing home and the name changed to Hawkhurst Castle, it then closed under the Abbey group in the 1990's. And now has planning permission for another nursing home or luxury flats??

I have attached an interesting website, worth taking a look at. (Well i think so)

http://www.jarrelook.co.uk/Urbex/Dr Barnados Baby Castle Hawkshurst 2011/Baby_Castle.htm

Anyway onto my adventure.... I stumbled across this lovely place purely by accident and lucky i had packed my camera. I felt rather un-easy walking around by myself and kept feeling like i was being watched. I swear i even heard children's giggles. But as other visitors to Babies Caslte will say there's nothing there... I didn't find a way of getting in, but maybe that was a good thing? Anyway, i wont bore you anymore. Enjoy


Babies Castle 014 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 011 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 009 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 007 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 004 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 021 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 022 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 031 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 029 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 035 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 036 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 041 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 039 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 027 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 023 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 024 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 019 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


Babies Castle 016 by froggie_abc, on Flickr

 

[SlimJim]

Some nice external shots there

 

[TeeJF]

Babies Castle, Hawkhurst.​

I have attached an interesting website, worth taking a look at. (Well i think so)

http://www.jarrelook.co.uk/Urbex/Dr Barnados Baby Castle Hawkshurst 2011/Baby_Castle.htm

Ooooo look! I'm famous! Thanks for the huge compliment dude!

Didn't you manage to get inside then? There wasn't much in the way of floors upstairs when we went though entry was a breeze - some you win, some you lose

Did you manage to find all the old medical (and some rather personal) records out back in that huge outbuilding? I was appalled when we found those.

And I bet you didn't go to that lovely pub across the road for lunch either... it's a shame if you missed it 'cos the food and beer there are awesome!

Thanks for posting and thanks again for your interest in our website, I'm very flattered.

 

[froggie25]

Well hello TeeJF,

I'm glad you liked my adventure to Babies Castle and i hope you didn't mind me adding your website link?? Sadly i found no records or the pub i ran out of time and seeing as it was my first outing by myself i felt uneasy on whether i should of been there or not lol... Maybe you can teach a newbie and a few things and team up? Kimxx

 

[TeeJF]

Well hello TeeJF,

i hope you didn't mind me adding your website link?? Sadly i found no records or the pub...

Hiya, of course we don't mind at all!

Pity you missed the pub, it's a gem! As to the records - it was stuff like death certificates, bank account info etc. all for just one or perhaps two people. I was rather shocked to find it and the fact you didn't see it hopefully means it has rotted away beyond recognition now. It's not good that this stuff was left behind and I had half an idea I should have lifted it and destroyed it at the time - but then that's not within the urbex code of conduct is it.

I hate moral dilemmas!!!

 

[cunningplan]

Great report, shame you didn't get in, but then its a bit of a tip in there anyway (I parked in the pub car park, but a bit early for it to be open )

 

[froggie25]

Thanks Cunningplan for liking my report. Let me know if your ever back in Kent....