Dredd
Member
The Explore
I had been meaning to do St. Crispins for ages and the opportunity finally presented itself. Access to the site was dead easy. Not much remains inside, as it has all since been stripped out, however, the architecture is beautiful and truly breath taking. Once inside, it was a nice relaxed explore even though there was an onsite security cabin. The only other thing that was worth avoiding was the nosey neighbors twitching the curtains all around as they would probably be the first to call the police if we were spotted. Explored with the talented Session9.
History
In 1873 Northampton County Council purchased the village of Berrywood in order to build St. Crispins asylum. Robert Griffiths designed the hospital and then construction took 3 years. The premises were opened as a psychiatric hospital officially in 1876 as “Berrywood Asylum”
Between 1884 and 1887 further extensions took place, creating a new block for “idiot” and “imbecile” children. Blocks for epileptics were constructed on either side; a reservoir and fire station; a stable yard and an isolation hospital with a distinctive pyramidal roof line. A stone chapel and mortuary were also constructed.
During the First World War some of inmates from Norfolk county asylum were evacuated and sent to Berrywood. In 1916, the hospital inmates were distributed across the midlands so that the asylum could focus on military cases. In 1918 when the World War 1 was over, the hospital returned back to normal and its patient population was restored. It was also rebranded as a “mental hospital” rather than an “asylum”.
In the 1930’s a few more extensions were built including the nurse’s home – the white house and a new admissions hospital also. Refurbishments were done all across the hospital.
After The Second World War the NHS took over ownership and the hospital was rebranded St. Crispins. In 1954 two more villas were constructed for female working patients and in the 1970’s the hospital’s south grounds were redeveloped for mental handicap services. This was complete with major long stay facilities, one of the last of its kind in England. Named the Princess Marina hospital, it provided a home for a number of Northampton patients.
In 1977 the hospital was used as a filming set for the Doctor Who series “The Talons of Weng-Chiang” The mortuary was used to represent a Victorian operating theatre.
St. Crispins was subject to a few news reports that focused on there being a large fire that killed 6 patients on Schuster Ward, within the main building.
The hospital closed in 1995, with a housing project hoping to become the outcome of the site. The surrounding sites have since been cleared and rebuilt upon, but trouble with the 2008 recession has since halted work. Building work to restore the remaining buildings left standing started in 2011, but has since been abandoned. The clock tower was to become one large apartment with a spiral staircase running up through the centre, however the whole of the main site has been left to decay and is still derelict.
Pictures
Thanks for reading my report, I hope you liked.
Dredd
I had been meaning to do St. Crispins for ages and the opportunity finally presented itself. Access to the site was dead easy. Not much remains inside, as it has all since been stripped out, however, the architecture is beautiful and truly breath taking. Once inside, it was a nice relaxed explore even though there was an onsite security cabin. The only other thing that was worth avoiding was the nosey neighbors twitching the curtains all around as they would probably be the first to call the police if we were spotted. Explored with the talented Session9.
History
In 1873 Northampton County Council purchased the village of Berrywood in order to build St. Crispins asylum. Robert Griffiths designed the hospital and then construction took 3 years. The premises were opened as a psychiatric hospital officially in 1876 as “Berrywood Asylum”
Between 1884 and 1887 further extensions took place, creating a new block for “idiot” and “imbecile” children. Blocks for epileptics were constructed on either side; a reservoir and fire station; a stable yard and an isolation hospital with a distinctive pyramidal roof line. A stone chapel and mortuary were also constructed.
During the First World War some of inmates from Norfolk county asylum were evacuated and sent to Berrywood. In 1916, the hospital inmates were distributed across the midlands so that the asylum could focus on military cases. In 1918 when the World War 1 was over, the hospital returned back to normal and its patient population was restored. It was also rebranded as a “mental hospital” rather than an “asylum”.
In the 1930’s a few more extensions were built including the nurse’s home – the white house and a new admissions hospital also. Refurbishments were done all across the hospital.
After The Second World War the NHS took over ownership and the hospital was rebranded St. Crispins. In 1954 two more villas were constructed for female working patients and in the 1970’s the hospital’s south grounds were redeveloped for mental handicap services. This was complete with major long stay facilities, one of the last of its kind in England. Named the Princess Marina hospital, it provided a home for a number of Northampton patients.
In 1977 the hospital was used as a filming set for the Doctor Who series “The Talons of Weng-Chiang” The mortuary was used to represent a Victorian operating theatre.
St. Crispins was subject to a few news reports that focused on there being a large fire that killed 6 patients on Schuster Ward, within the main building.
The hospital closed in 1995, with a housing project hoping to become the outcome of the site. The surrounding sites have since been cleared and rebuilt upon, but trouble with the 2008 recession has since halted work. Building work to restore the remaining buildings left standing started in 2011, but has since been abandoned. The clock tower was to become one large apartment with a spiral staircase running up through the centre, however the whole of the main site has been left to decay and is still derelict.
Pictures
Thanks for reading my report, I hope you liked.
Dredd
