# St Andrews asylum Norwich, Nov 12



## Bones out (Nov 13, 2012)

Demo is under way and making a fair bit of progress by the looks of things!

Mooched with my good buddies *pen15, Luke takes pictures ( still yet to join ) and ant_43 *

Outside view of reception







The Norfolk Lunatic Asylum was situated in a big field with fluffy bunnies near Norwich. The architects were Francis Stone and John Brown (Norfolk County Surveyors) and Robinson Cornish and Gaymer of North Walsham. The County Asylum was intended specifically for pauper lunatics and was only the second institution of its kind when completed in early 1814. The buildings were originally designed for the reception of 40 male patients in April 1814, followed by female patients in June of the same year. Roughly 70 patients were present on average in the early years. Extensions in 1831 and 1840 allowed this number to double and more substantial additions in the late 1850s as well as the construction of an auxiliary asylum, which was completed in 1881, some 700 inpatients could be accommodated. The auxiliary asylum or annexe is situated to the north of the main buildings, on the other side of a big long Road, connected by a lane that was carried over the main road by a bridge. In April 1889 the institution was re-titled the Norfolk County Asylum, and after its modernisation into 'a hospital for mental disorders' (with reorganisation into distinct male and female asylums) there was room for more than 1,000 patients.

Patient care was disrupted by the outbreak of WWI, with most of the patients being evacuated to other institutions across eastern England. In 1915 the Norfolk County Asylum became the Norfolk War Hospital for military casualties and when the asylum was re-converted in 1920 it was named Norfolk Mental Hospital although the local use of the alternative, St Andrew's Hospital, was officially recognised from January 1924 onwards. In the period between the two wars the hospital housed more than 1,100 patients. During WWII the hospital was used as a multi-purpose hospital, providing the additional functions of an Emergency Section hospital such as receiving refugees, evacuees and civilian casualties in cleared wards whilst maintaining its complement of mental patients. Is anyone reading this or will I get away with a rude word. Fart.

From the 1950s onwards - with improved therapies and new medications, the changing perceptions of patients' rights, and increasingly critical assessment of the psychiatric hospital as as an appropriate setting - St Andrew's spent most of its years as an NHS hospital under threat of closure, a long drawn-out process that was ultimately resolved with the securing in 1994 of a separate NHS Trust for mental health care services in Norfolk. The hospital was eventually closed in April 1998. The original grade II listed hospital buildings from 1814, situated to the south of Yarmouth Road, have since been converted into private housing. The complex incorporates a church (in Francis Stone Court), also converted for domestic use. There is no trace of the nearby cemetery which was presumably built over when the hospital became disused (it is still marked on OS maps).

In January 2011 the auxiliary asylum - St Andrew’s House and its 13-acre site - situated up the road and a bit right of London, on the edge of St Andrew’s fluffy bunny park that has sprung up around it, has been put on the market by NHS Norfolk, touted as a prime site for development. It was most recently used as offices by the Norfolk Primary Care Trust, now NHS Norfolk, which left in 2007 for more modern premises. 

A familiar shot to regular viewers










Now this was from the light in the following picture





This ray, aint it preety....










Not stage managed at all!





Shameless





Who's in my shot 










Nice and friendly





Catch it while you can!





Sorry for the quality, straight out of the old Canon as per usual.

As you do.​


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## prettyvacant71 (Nov 14, 2012)

Hello mate....u got sum nice shots there, luvly commode in corridor

wot a shame another beautful building is gona be demo im surprised some of it isn't listed as the architecture looks sound and worthy of redev.

hi to luke


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## UrbanX (Nov 14, 2012)

No apologies needed for those shots! Can't believe demo has started! 
Gutted I missed this one, hats off again for fantastic photos!


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## steve2109 (Nov 14, 2012)

Nice one mate, good shots, was one of my early explores and I used to work there, sorry to see it go, thanks for sharing


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## TeeJF (Nov 14, 2012)

Cheers fella... another one bites the dust hey...


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## flyboys90 (Nov 14, 2012)

Great report,thanks for sharing.


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## Bones out (Nov 14, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> No apologies needed for those shots! Can't believe demo has started!
> Gutted I missed this one, hats off again for fantastic photos!



Hope your feeling fresher now fella! It was you who prompted this nutty Norfolk visit!

Boys look forward to a mooch together soon. :1)


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## urban phantom (Nov 14, 2012)

Very nice work mate thanks for sharing


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## addictedmedia (Nov 14, 2012)

Went up there yesterday work is going quick up there but the builders and demo people have left a few bits open for us urbexers


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## addictedmedia (Nov 14, 2012)

If anybody is up for a team up pm me


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## Stussy (Nov 14, 2012)

Excellent report, no matter how many times you see those stairs, don't think you could ever get tired! Thanks for sharing!


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## Pen15 (Nov 14, 2012)

Nice one Bones !!

You got that lot up quick lol. Not started mine as yet.

Images are great !! Thanks for making the day


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## Bones out (Nov 14, 2012)

Pen15 said:


> Nice one Bones !!
> 
> You got that lot up quick lol. Not started mine as yet.
> 
> Images are great !! Thanks for making the day



Yeah fella, straight out of the camera, no HDrrrrrrrrrrrrragh to worry about! 

Get your pooh bag collection sorted pronto.... We are waiting


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## ant_43 (Nov 14, 2012)

Alright boys, turns out i am actually already a member on here. Was a fun weekend excursion, and looking forward to the next. Some of my pics are going up slowly on flickr.....


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## Bones out (Nov 15, 2012)

ant_43 said:


> Alright boys, turns out i am actually already a member on here. Was a fun weekend excursion, and looking forward to the next. Some of my pics are going up slowly on flickr.....



Yeah, Ant mate, you've doubled your post count in nearly three years! 

Good to see you fella


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## LairdOfLochaber (Nov 15, 2012)

It looks to be in much better condition than a lot of things that aren't being demolished. Seems like a waste of a good building. Glad you captured it before it was gone.


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## addictedmedia (Jan 10, 2013)

they are knocking down both sides of the building apart from the main front / tower as a listed part of st andrews found that out as got a nice little tap on the shoulder by a local pcso as they are now watching the site dude to the high amount of people trying to go in there shame really.


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## peterc4 (Jan 12, 2013)

nice to see the single chair shot, dont know why but i love those shots. well done


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## shot_in_the_dark (Jan 12, 2013)

lovely shots of a grim place, thanks for sharing.


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 12, 2013)

How rude! Putting fart in your history Great report, nice pics


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## Mars Lander (Jan 12, 2013)

Did he just say 'FART' ? disgraceful...

Haha, brilliant writeup and and sterling imagery , well splored that man !


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## Caitlaaan (Jan 14, 2013)

*St Andrews Mental Hospital*

Heya

This old mental institute is beautiful, I'm going to use it for my Fine Art work.
But I had a few questions for you as a past documenter in it

- is it still there or has it been knocked down?
- What is security like/is the inside of the building accessible? 
- what is the exact location of the place?

if you could get back to me that would be fabbbbb!

Thanks
Caitlin


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## Bones out (Jan 14, 2013)

Sshhhh... said:


> How rude! Putting fart in your history Great report, nice pics




Halla loolya, you get a house point.... Well spotted . Its great to know the report was read...... Teee heeeeeee..


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## Bones out (Jan 14, 2013)

Caitlaaan said:


> Heya
> 
> This old mental institute is beautiful, I'm going to use it for my Fine Art work.
> But I had a few questions for you as a past documenter in it
> ...



Your more than welcome...


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## Caitlaaan (Jan 16, 2013)

Bonesout said:


> Your more than welcome...



If you ould get the satnav coordinates for me that would be awesome!
Thanxxxxx

Cait


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## Vandango05 (Feb 10, 2013)

Hope you don't mind me jumping in to your post rather than making a new one about the same place.

You have some great photos and looks like you went in at the right time. My wife and I went in on New Years day after saying we would about 2 years ago, the inside is now pretty much gutted/vandalized. It was our first explore and we've both now got a bit of a bug for it, so will hopefully be posting more in the future.

I only live round the corner and often walk my dog round the grounds. I've not been for a couple of weeks and the demolition has progressed quite a bit since then. The roofs of the left hand side of the building are now down and it won't be long before its all down even if it looks to be coming down brick by brick. It's a shame a developer couldn't do a conversion, but I guess the commercial location doesn't make it financially viable.

Anyways, here are a few pictures I took with my phone on walk round this afternoon. If anyone is interested in me keeping the demo progress updated let me know and i'll be sure to take my camera out with me each time.


View from road at the front. Chimney stacks can be seen now without the roof.



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The rear of the building with roof timbers for recycling.



host images

The morgue/chapel still standing. Oil tanks now removed.



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The morgue, yet untouched. Still sealed up.



online photo storage

View back to the hospital from the cricket field



upload pics

Demo on going, guys were taking it down brick by brick.



images

Rear view



upload foto

Alot has already come down.



upload pic


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## Paulytwotanks (Apr 14, 2013)

LairdOfLochaber said:


> It looks to be in much better condition than a lot of things that aren't being demolished. Seems like a waste of a good building. Glad you captured it before it was gone.



I went there today with my daughter and her friend who wanted to see it. I'd say about 50% has now been demolished. It's really sad. As you say it is a much better building than some not being demolished. Parts of what is left is precarious but we still had a pretty good look around the ground and first floor of the remaining building. It's a real shame I didn't get there earlier. 

This substantial building should have been converted. Its such a waste.


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## addictedmedia (Apr 17, 2013)

only the newer half left now the clock tower side the rest has been knocked down as go past it every day been a few times for a explore


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## Bones out (Apr 17, 2013)

Vandango05. Thanks for the update, good ( and bad ) to see how it's going along... 

I was only thinking about her a short while ago....


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