Fairmile Hospital, Moulsford - Aug 08 & Jan 09

"Moulsford Asylum, which later became Fair Mile Hospital, was designed by Howell and opened in 1870."

Patients from Berkshire had previously been 'sharing' Oxforshire's asylum, Littlebrook. When they ran out of space, it was decided that Moulsford Asylum should be built.

"Moulsford Asylum was designed to accommodate 285 patients and was almost full to capacity within the first year. It was extended by Howell in 1880 to 609 beds, and again by Hine in 1901 to 800 beds. It admitted pauper patients and also private patients if there was spare capacity."



Fairmile, being my closest asylum was the first one I visited. In May 2008 I looked round occupational therapy, the (stripped) laundry and old farm buildings.

August 08 saw a return. We had a look round the now striped Occupational Therapy and as we gradualy got bolder right round the front of the building.

Externals from that day...


A further visit in August saw me climb the new water tower and get an aerial photo, but after that I left Fairmile alone.


Role on the new year and a few more reports started coming out of Fairmile. I decided to go back for another look - this once dormant itch was in need of another scratch!

A very foggy and frosty pre-dawn found me making my way solo through the undergrowth once more.


As it brightened up, I started to make my round the male side of the hospital.


The layout of Fairmile is not typical asylum. I have heard it called it corridor, but it doesn't follow the traditional lines. Yes, you do have male and female sides but the wards are connected to each other and rather than being off a central corridor they have connecting ones.


I worked my way down the male side of the hospital - I had read the specification of Hine's extension in the Berkshire Archive and was interested to actually see it. The wooden paneling and doors are a somewhat costly upgrade from the orignal Howell design.


I made my way upstairs to work my way back... then :


Bugger - dead batteries. No problem I thought - I've got a set of charged ones. I put these in and pmf. Dead. Bugger.
However, this did allow me to continue the explore without worrying about taking photos and enjoy looking round more.

Fast forward 2 days and I meet up with King Rat to go back.


One thing I start to notice is that throughout it's various extensions, they kept to the same design of external dors and some internal doorways.


Up on the third floor of Admin I found my obligatory chair shot - this is in a small room behind the lift motor room.


And on the ground floor the only remaining washing machines on site.



Onto the pharmacy...


the kitchens...


And Porters room.


No trip to an asylum is complete with visiting the Hall.

Truely fantastic explore! Looks mostly untrashed!

Good pictures!

Excellent work Liam. One of the fantastic things about Fairmile is the colour, and you've captured it really well.

Liam:

Those are great photos and glad you managed the pharmacy (my Mrs. was offered a job in there a few years ago). I'm quite close to Fairmile - about a mile down the road in fact - and have often wondered how hard it would be to get some pics. in the chapel and/or superintendant's house...

GeoffT.

Thanks All...

Geoff - the Chapel is sealed up; the orignal Super's residence forms part of the main block and is adjacent to Admin / the main hosptial entrance. There's nothing in there though!

Awww - dead jealous - I have passed this place so many times while at work and always wondered what it was like inside.
I do fairly regular visits to a site just down the road

Very nice pics and site looks amazing!