As a geek I have a interest in pretty much everything! And of course that interest goes into orbit if if I am doing something I shouldn't!
Over the last year or so I have been reading about derelict hunters or urban explorers. Basically its an interest in our mark on this earth, so akin to buildings from the industrial age that are abandoned or derelict. This truly sends my geeks sensors into a frenetic spin. So my first weekend after my exams I jump on the trusty motorbike and head out to the site of a disused asylum in Surrey.
Ladies and Gents this is Cane Hill Asylum
Cane Hill was a psychiatric hospital in Coulsdon. Built to care for patients in the eastern part of Surrey, it opened in 1882 as the Third Surrey County Lunatic Asylum. Following a gradual winding down of operations, it closed all but its secure unit by late 1991. It formerly housed up to 2,000 patients, but with care in the community and modern medication it was almost empty by the time of its closure.
During its lengthy period of operation, many notable patients passed through the doors of Cane Hill - these include Charlie Chaplin's mother, and the brothers of Michael Caine and David Bowie. Bowie's album The Man Who Sold The World featured the administration block of Cane Hill on its sleeve.
(facts come from Wikipedia, I cannot take credit for knowing this much)
As I take a turn off from the main road and head onto a dirt track with the first sign advising me that I am entering private property the air already feels eerie (ok... my rather over-active imagination!)
Following the dirt track the first sign of the old asylum the sign post directing visitors to the wards and facilities
Before I continue I must add that I understand from other explorers that Cane Hill has been demolished to quite a considerable extent. So this blog is what's left I am afraid. Hey its my first one, hardly going to trip over Birkenau!
So continuing down the road network that is the outer perimeter of the asylum. Rather better secured than I imagined ;)
The first pictures are of the chapel.
As you can see the chapel has been boarded up quite extensively since its closure in 1991.
The following shots are of the secure unit, which was the last part of the hospital to close in 2008. First two taken from the top of a fire exit on the wardens building.
The fencing around the secure unit enclosed an exercise yard / garden.
Inside the secure unit's garden
The exterior of the secure unit
From the signs I work this out to be the domestic building.
There are massive areas that are just rubble now, from what I understand a massive amount of buildings and wards have been reduced to dust in the last few years.
One remaining building that stands proud is the old water tower
The tower in all its glory! hard to imagine it was surrounded by a vast array of buildings and wards!
Rather strange opening!
The shame!
The chapel
The well secured exterior
The administration building- or whats left!
The water tower
Admin building
The chapel point against a grumbling sky
More of the admin building
The wardens building by the secure unit, a lot of it being reclaimed by nature!
This is the road running up to the secure unit, it seemed like music appeared from nowhere to say why on earth would you go up there! ..............ok the over active imagination again!
The site as it stands
The outer perimeter
Domestic block
The trip to Cane Hill Asylum was fantastic, not only did I shoot some history I experienced our history that is soon to be wiped from this earth. At time it did feel eerie but the majority was pure excitement. I cannot wait to document my next site.
I hope you enjoy reading / viewing as much as I did shooting.
Yes, its a disappointing I didn't not get Cane Hill in its former glory but as a starting point I am proud of my first outing.
Please feel free to leave feedback and comments.
Kindest regards
R
At no point do I confirm that I was trespassing or anywhere I should not be, I do not condone trespassing or encourage it, just in case they ask!
Improve your marketing with the <a href="http://www.hotvsnot.com/">best web directories</a> This site is listed under <a href="http://www.hotvsnot.com/Society/Lifestyle_Choices/">Lifestyle Choices Directory </a>
<a href="http://www.buzzerhut.com"><img border="0" src="http://www.buzzerhut.com/images/mainlogo_small.gif" width="154" height="42" alt="Promote Your Blog" title="Promote Your Blog For Free" /></a>
Over the last year or so I have been reading about derelict hunters or urban explorers. Basically its an interest in our mark on this earth, so akin to buildings from the industrial age that are abandoned or derelict. This truly sends my geeks sensors into a frenetic spin. So my first weekend after my exams I jump on the trusty motorbike and head out to the site of a disused asylum in Surrey.
"take nothing but photographs,
leave nothing but footprints"
Ladies and Gents this is Cane Hill Asylum
Cane Hill was a psychiatric hospital in Coulsdon. Built to care for patients in the eastern part of Surrey, it opened in 1882 as the Third Surrey County Lunatic Asylum. Following a gradual winding down of operations, it closed all but its secure unit by late 1991. It formerly housed up to 2,000 patients, but with care in the community and modern medication it was almost empty by the time of its closure.
During its lengthy period of operation, many notable patients passed through the doors of Cane Hill - these include Charlie Chaplin's mother, and the brothers of Michael Caine and David Bowie. Bowie's album The Man Who Sold The World featured the administration block of Cane Hill on its sleeve.
(facts come from Wikipedia, I cannot take credit for knowing this much)
As I take a turn off from the main road and head onto a dirt track with the first sign advising me that I am entering private property the air already feels eerie (ok... my rather over-active imagination!)
Following the dirt track the first sign of the old asylum the sign post directing visitors to the wards and facilities
Before I continue I must add that I understand from other explorers that Cane Hill has been demolished to quite a considerable extent. So this blog is what's left I am afraid. Hey its my first one, hardly going to trip over Birkenau!
So continuing down the road network that is the outer perimeter of the asylum. Rather better secured than I imagined ;)
The first pictures are of the chapel.
As you can see the chapel has been boarded up quite extensively since its closure in 1991.
The following shots are of the secure unit, which was the last part of the hospital to close in 2008. First two taken from the top of a fire exit on the wardens building.
The fencing around the secure unit enclosed an exercise yard / garden.
Inside the secure unit's garden
The exterior of the secure unit
From the signs I work this out to be the domestic building.
There are massive areas that are just rubble now, from what I understand a massive amount of buildings and wards have been reduced to dust in the last few years.
The tower in all its glory! hard to imagine it was surrounded by a vast array of buildings and wards!
The chapel
The well secured exterior
The administration building- or whats left!
The water tower
Admin building
The chapel point against a grumbling sky
More of the admin building
The wardens building by the secure unit, a lot of it being reclaimed by nature!
This is the road running up to the secure unit, it seemed like music appeared from nowhere to say why on earth would you go up there! ..............ok the over active imagination again!
The site as it stands
The trip to Cane Hill Asylum was fantastic, not only did I shoot some history I experienced our history that is soon to be wiped from this earth. At time it did feel eerie but the majority was pure excitement. I cannot wait to document my next site.
I hope you enjoy reading / viewing as much as I did shooting.
Yes, its a disappointing I didn't not get Cane Hill in its former glory but as a starting point I am proud of my first outing.
Please feel free to leave feedback and comments.
Kindest regards
R
At no point do I confirm that I was trespassing or anywhere I should not be, I do not condone trespassing or encourage it, just in case they ask!
Improve your marketing with the <a href="http://www.hotvsnot.com/">best web directories</a> This site is listed under <a href="http://www.hotvsnot.com/Society/Lifestyle_Choices/">Lifestyle Choices Directory </a>
<a href="http://www.buzzerhut.com"><img border="0" src="http://www.buzzerhut.com/images/mainlogo_small.gif" width="154" height="42" alt="Promote Your Blog" title="Promote Your Blog For Free" /></a>
No comments:
Post a Comment