# Whitchurch Hospital, South Wales



## UEP-Wales (Sep 20, 2016)

*Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff
April 2016 > Present*







It's been known for a fair few years that Whitchurch Hospital, also known as Whitchurch Mental Hospital and Cardiff City Asylum was due to close. After many delays, patients finally moved out on the 15th April 2016, leaving all of the wards empty and lonely... that's where we stepped in!






Cardiff City Asylum cost £350,000.00 to build and opened on the 15th April 1908. The main hospital building covered 5 acres and was designed to accommodate 750 patients across 10 wards, 5 each for men and women. 

Throughout it's life it was used as a military hospital in both World War I and II where the facility was then called the Welsh Metropolitan War Hospital. During World War II, it became the largest emergency services hospital in South Wales, treating British, US Army and German Personnel although 200 beds were retained for civilian use.

On the 5th July 1948, the hospital was taken over by the Ministry of Health as the NHS came into existence. It continued to be used through to the mid-1980s when care in the community began to reduce the number of resident patients. 


























The images above show wards West 5/5a which were abandoned over 30 years ago. The wards were no longer suitable for the current requirements and locks were bolted for the last time. Over the years, damp has hit this section badly and floors are unsafe which was experienced while South Wales Police carried out a search for a missing person but ended up uncovering a large cannabis factory. During the search, a SWP officer fell through the floor resulting in several months off work and months of physio.





































In November 2010, the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board decided that it was preferable to centrailise all adult mental health care services at Llandough. Plans for a residential development of 150 houses and 180 flats on the Whitchurch site had first been raised in 1996 and provisionally agreed in 2001. The permission was renewed in February 2016 for a further 4 years.




































I have had my eye on Whitchurch for a while but never actually thought I'd be the first to explore the site as a whole. There was a few attempts a few days after it closed that failed but after a few plans drawn up, it was time to put them into action.

One planned visit to take nothing but externals led to gaining entry through an open door to the Crisis Assessment Unit on the east side and that's where the explore began! For over 2 weeks, we've been back to the hospital grounds daily armed with information about the next ward and methods to enter without any illegal acts, how to avoid alarms and the dreaded CCTV system that is monitored via the Health Boards security room 24hrs a day.

With each ward having different locks, alarms and camera placements, it was challenging to get around but after a long time, we did it 




































Since the hospital closed to patients back in April this year, the site has already been the victim of our best friends... the metal fairies! Thankfully, the security across the site is fairly on the ball and they have been caught and arrested each time. The most serious incident being where a large knife was pulled out and a crowbar used to assault the two security guards within the grounds.

The reason I bring this up is that within some parts of the hospital sits thousands of patient records spanning the lifetime of the asylum. These are fully exposed to whoever wants to pop inside and take a read. I seriously now know the mental status of at least 7 people within my street.



















































Walking around the hospitals wards was shocking, either the site has suffered damp badly over the period of the last few months or in actual fact, patients were staying in horrid conditions. Windows that wouldn't close or in some cases wouldn't open. Bedrooms that stank of urine and other odors. Ward communal areas that smell of the previous years meals. Paint pealing off the walls, carpets with tears, wooden floors with burn marks.

You hear every noise possible as you sit silent within the wards. Even times when I knew where security were and knew that nobody else was in the building, you could hear voices, human made bangs. Curtains blowing with the wind, the noise of animals outside, sirens in the distance and the local railway line is constant!












































































I really don't know how long Whitchurch Hospital will be standing. Metal thieves are working hard to rip the place apart and I think it won't be long until the site ends up burnt to the ground.

The current plans are that Hospital Security will be onsite until November 2016 when it will then be handed over to a private company. In the meantime, due to recent activity, fencing will be erected around the site within the next week or so (So they say)

We're not fully done with this site. Plans are being made to return with the new 35mm film camera, black and white film and have some fun!

We have taken the time to speak to past patients and staff about their time here and I'll be publishing a video on it over the next few weeks.







































































*Patient Memories...*




































*The "Rec" Hall*





















*The Admin Hallway*











Sorry about this thread being so pic heavy. I have left many out but wanted to show you guys as much as possible. Videos will be coming over the next few weeks!

** Since writing this report ahead of it's posting on here, The security team at WMH decided to report me to the lovely South Wales Police. After 21 hours and 3 house searches, I was released without charge. Another visit shortly after being released resulted in me having 2 cracked ribs thanks to the lovely security guys there. Be warned if you wish to visit, they're are a bunch of wankers. - It hasn't stopped me 

​


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## dirge (Sep 20, 2016)

That is a top report mate! Great shots and awesome write up. Hope you are ok now and glad it's not put you off exploring.


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## mockingbird (Sep 20, 2016)

From the start to finish, this is probably the best report on here this year, an that says a lot.
Time/effort/construction all nicely done, followed by what seemed exactly like how you saw the place with your eyes dude, excellent! Hope this gets some recognition and attention, not just for your photography but the whole report!

Brightened my day to view this and read it, hope people take note including myself this is how a reports done. 

Good to see another report from you aswel dude! an rest those ribs done mine in earlier this year painful to say the least.


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## krela (Sep 20, 2016)

Top stuff mate. Sorry to hear about your bad experiences, that's south wales all over though! Police suck.


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## Derelictheart (Sep 20, 2016)

Chapeau!!!


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## Rubex (Sep 20, 2016)

Very nice report, thanks for sharing


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## Sam Haltin (Sep 20, 2016)

I agree with Mockingbird, this must be the best report submitted to this website. You've posted a lot of photographs, but you've included personal items, rosters and patient thoughts not forgetting the wards as well. I am embittered to hear you were assaulted by security personnel, there's no need for that, a simple warning would suffice. Well done on this one.


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## Mikeymutt (Sep 20, 2016)

That's a superb report.been following this one on the news for a while and wondered who would do it first.and you did it justice for sure,sorry to hear about your bad experience


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## Brewtal (Sep 20, 2016)

Top marks for that one! Some of those shots are pure class, stunning detail and very atmospheric. I can't wait to get home and see them on a bigger screen. That is a belter of a report!


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## mookster (Sep 20, 2016)

Top stuff, well done for persevering. That hall is lovely, but it's such a shame it has those awful wooden box room things in it.


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## UEP-Wales (Sep 20, 2016)

Thank you all very much for the kind replies and comments, very appreciated. 

It's a lovely place to be walking around, as strange as that sounds and it will be a shame to see it go down hill. We all know it will happen though. 

A police officer stated "we're just waiting for the fire to destroy it now". Unfortunately, I don't think it will take that long.


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## tazong (Sep 20, 2016)

Wow just wow - top notch fella - top notch


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## HughieD (Sep 20, 2016)

Apparently the 28Ds lot aren't happy about this post!


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## UEP-Wales (Sep 21, 2016)

Oh shame lol! They're never happy unless they're in control lol!


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## night crawler (Sep 21, 2016)

Top notch report that, in fact one of the best I have seen from an ex hospital , makes me wish I had gone into Fair mile sooner when I had a chance and knew sec. Feel sorry for the cop who went through the floor, if it was like Fair mile there was a good four foot of void under them. Sorry to hear you got beaten up I hope you pressed charges against the twats.
HughieD please don't mention that name on here, we are respectable




.


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## DirtyJigsaw (Sep 21, 2016)

Wow, now that's what you call a report. Cracking photos to go with it too. Enjoyed reading that


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## Cuban B. (Sep 21, 2016)

It ain't no Cane Hill, but wow man, this is so cool!!!


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## rhysduggan (Sep 21, 2016)

I actually work there some 25 years ago as an engineer. Sad state now.


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## Sam Haltin (Sep 21, 2016)

HughieD said:


> Apparently the 28Ds lot aren't happy about this post!



Tough on them. First come, first served.


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## krela (Sep 21, 2016)

Urbex police aren't scary, they're just dull, boring and tedious.


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## HughieD (Sep 21, 2016)

krela said:


> Urbex police aren't scary, they're just dull, boring and tedious.


And quite rude too.


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## Bones out (Sep 21, 2016)

Bit special that all around really. Feel privilaged you have shared this. Thanks - A post I shall return to many times. Excellent.


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## UrbanX (Sep 22, 2016)

Best Report of the year. No question. 
Top notch work fella, lots of hard work, and it shows. 
Thanks for sharing


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## UEP-Wales (Sep 22, 2016)

Thanks again everybody! Feel very honored with all the kind comments!


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## flyboys90 (Sep 22, 2016)

Stunning images and smashing write up.Thanks for sharing your experiences.


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## jsp77 (Sep 24, 2016)

What a fantastic report, really enjoyed it. thanks for posting


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## Dawnwarrior (Sep 24, 2016)

Outstanding work here. Your hard work has paid off hugely. Cracking report.


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## UEP-Wales (Sep 24, 2016)

Cheers once again all 

Editing up a video now, as part of the project we took the time to track down and interview some former patients. One said: "It was a scary place to be, you found yourself coming out worse than you went in. You heard the constant jangle of keys, you would walk down empty cold corridors. The walls were in desperate need of paint and the windows would never work". 

A former member of staff said, "There was never enough HCPs doing the job, the NHS just sent HCAs in to fill staff numbers and most of the time, it meant we were unable to provide the correct level of care for all of our patients".

Video will be uploaded fairly soon!


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## HughieD (Sep 24, 2016)

Did you speak to the Daily Mirror?


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## dirge (Sep 24, 2016)

This is the report that keeps giving! Looking forward to the vid.


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## SlimJim (Sep 24, 2016)

HughieD said:


> Did you speak to the Daily Mirror?



Good question.


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## UEP-Wales (Sep 24, 2016)

HughieD said:


> Did you speak to the Daily Mirror?



Not directly but through an agent that I use


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## mockney reject (Sep 24, 2016)

Hugh Jorgan said:


> Tough on them. First come, first served.





Erm its been in Non Public on 28 for a while now ......


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## UEP-Wales (Sep 24, 2016)

mockney reject said:


> Erm its been in Non Public on 28 for a while now ......



It's been non public on my computer for a while too lol!


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## hamtagger (Sep 24, 2016)

HughieD said:


> Did you speak to the Daily Mirror?



Yes, and the sun and the daily mail too. Sold out to the lot of them


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## krela (Sep 25, 2016)

This issue again? How tedious! If you want to bitch about it please do it via PM so we don't all have to read it.


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## Jon6D (Nov 7, 2016)

Fantastic explore and great pics too


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## UEP-Wales (Nov 12, 2016)

Jon6D said:


> Fantastic explore and great pics too



Cheers Jon6D, Much appreciated!


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## lithiumlikable (Nov 26, 2016)

Thank you for this report, it really is such an amazing structure, appalled that all those records are still there though!


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## J_a_t_33 (Nov 28, 2016)

Wooooow dude! Epic work! In awe of your dedication! Thank you for sharing the magic!


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## Ferox (Nov 29, 2016)

Absolutely brilliant report that. Great write up and awesome pics. Sound a nightmare regarding the police, great to here you where straight back at it


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## UEP-Wales (Dec 3, 2016)

Take a look at a short video of the explores!

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## mockingbird (Dec 3, 2016)

Excellent video dude


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## Bonjo (Dec 5, 2016)

Excellent post - who doesn't love a bit of peeling paint ! History on this place has been well documented, thanks for sharing. Sucks big time about you getting a 'rough' time, lets hope it doesn't happen again to yourself or anyone else for that matter !!


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## UEP-Wales (Dec 5, 2016)

Bonjo said:


> Excellent post - who doesn't love a bit of peeling paint ! History on this place has been well documented, thanks for sharing. Sucks big time about you getting a 'rough' time, lets hope it doesn't happen again to yourself or anyone else for that matter !!



Cheers Bonjo!

From what I have heard, security has tightened up a little but I haven't been there myself recently too see. I've heard from a few others that they have a bad attitude but nothing to the extent that I did in September... probably just my luck lol!


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