# Severalls Hospital, Colchester, Essex June 2012



## prettyvacant71 (Jun 18, 2012)

Hello there everybody


This is a very large post with many pics, (I won’t do it again: I hope there maybe just one shot in here that is new to someone out there), but I didn’t want to split up the post as there maybe others who don’t usually visit DP interested in today’s visit)


So here’s a brief history of the site....

In 1904 Essex County Council bought 300 acres of land from The Corporation For Colchester to build a second County Asylum for Essex-the first being Brentwood’s Warley Hospital. The first foundation stone was laid on the Administration block in 1910; three years later the asylum opened its doors for its first patients. Severalls Asylum later re-named Severalls Mental Hospital before finally simply Severalls Hospital, may have taken its name from the local area known as “The Severalls” or from the nearby Edwardian Arts and Craft Severalls Hall. 

With a patient capacity of 1,800, it was built by W.King & Son, London, according to the “Echelon plan”. This represented a roughly symmetrical design of buildings connected together by “link corridors” to enable patients, staff and visitors to freely move around the hospital without stepping outside. The main hall, kitchens, laundry and workshops, everything required to run the hospital was located centrally. The wards were situated on two floors in wings that radiated out from the centre in a staggered format-both east and west to catch the early morning and late afternoon sun. 

“Satellite” villas were dotted around the grounds along with a chapel. Severalls served the community for almost 90 years and survived two World Wars. The Mental Health Act and “Care in the Community” bought in during the 1980’s finally put an end to the hospital’s use. It finally closed its doors in March 1997.
To date there have been some new buildings constructed around the site and demolition has begun on some of the satellite blocks around the edges. The water tower and Admin block are said to be listed buildings. A new link road and a large housing estate is planned for the site when Severalls is finally demolished....I know many locals will be pleased when the land is redeveloped....but a lot of explorers will definitely miss her when she’s gone. 







Just after 10am we took a few shots in front of the water tower 
































































The shelters that are scattered around the grounds. It was great to have a look around the outside of the buildings as we don’t usually tend to spend much time outside, were too busy getting in and out of the way.




















































































































It just wouldn’t be Severalls without the mandatory corridor shots






































The mural corridors























































































Autoclaves
























Some of the rooms were very small















the mortuary in the back room

























































































































I’ve waited a long time to see the view from the top of the water tower...it made me realise how confusing the place is and the parts I’ve still not seen









inside the tower
















Northern view with the chapel in the distance










To the west










West again....















South








Eastern aspect


Well thanks for looking at such a large post folks

Take care dudes, laters


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## UE-OMJ (Jun 18, 2012)

Well done to everyone involved.


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## DubbedNavigator (Jun 18, 2012)

.

Thanks to SK for amending that .


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## flyboys90 (Jun 18, 2012)

Great photos.


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## Headflux (Jun 18, 2012)

Great shots!


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## dangerous dave (Jun 18, 2012)

this was once a seclusion room if you look next to the window the recess pon the wall is all thats left of it it ,would have had a door to cover the window to prevent the user from hurting himself 

would have been same set up as this 






image source http://www.highroydshospital.com/insight/the-confinement-cell-shutters/


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## SeffyboyUK (Jun 18, 2012)

We were there the very same day, left about half an hour before you guys. Can't believe tower access was this simple and easy, am now literally kicking myself!

Nice shots dude.


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## Rebeccasuth (Jun 18, 2012)

Really nice! thanks for sharing. x


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## Lucky Pants (Jun 18, 2012)

Loving these sets of photos there is no other feeling than that of a asylum, good work .


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## Sshhhh... (Jun 18, 2012)

Fantastic pics! Love the corridor shots and those from the tower! Thanks for sharing


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## Mars Lander (Jun 18, 2012)

Wowser , this report is just awesomeness amazing shots and love the closing epic "aerial" photography, cant wait to see this splore icon


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## perjury saint (Jun 18, 2012)

NEVER get bored of looking at this place!
Must get down for a mooch before shes gone....
Some very nice pics there...


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## hecsas (Jun 18, 2012)

the corridor to hell by hecsas, on Flickr


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## whitelaw (Jun 18, 2012)

Simply superb! Excellent job.


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## shane.c (Jun 18, 2012)

Good photo,s well done,


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## Scaramanger (Jun 19, 2012)

some good angles/ shots there....Nice one


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## Maddie220790 (Jun 19, 2012)

Wow! These are some of the best photos I've seen from this place. Loving how the light comes in through the windows! Seriously need to get down there! Never realised it was so big! (Cue...'that's what she said' jokes....)


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## Bones out (Jun 19, 2012)

SeffyboyUK said:


> We were there the very same day, left about half an hour before you guys. Can't believe tower access was this simple and easy, am now literally kicking myself!
> 
> Nice shots dude.



You would never believe where I found the handy device for your feet!


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## tumbles (Jun 19, 2012)

Good to see the Severalls lamp is still alive and moving around the site still!


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## matyb2k (Jun 19, 2012)

Great explore!


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## sparky. (Jun 19, 2012)

great shots there never tire of looking at severalls pics


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## PROJ3CTM4YH3M (Jun 20, 2012)

I'd really like to get to this one before its gone. Grreat photos thanks for sharing


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## SeffyboyUK (Jun 20, 2012)

ReknaW said:


> You would never believe where I found the handy device for your feet!



If it's what i think it is, that was surprising. Top find though!


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## Cane! (Jun 25, 2012)

PROJ3CTM4YH3M said:


> I'd really like to get to this one before its gone. Grreat photos thanks for sharing



If your heading down this way I'd like to pay this place a visit again before it's gone! 

And brilliant pics & report!


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## bilbo (Jun 25, 2012)

I never tire of looking at photos of this beautiful place. Fantastic photos and amazing aerial views of the site. Excellent job!!


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## Gavanova (Jun 26, 2012)

Did this a few days back must have been around same time. Fi ally found the dastardly morgue and plucked up the courage to tackle the water tower! I'll hold my photos back because these are pretty special! Thanks!


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## WarlockUK (Jun 28, 2012)

This place looks incredible - might very well be worth the drive down from Sheffield.


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## UrbanX (Jun 28, 2012)

WarlockUK said:


> This place looks incredible - might very well be worth the drive down from Sheffield.



I went down with a certain couple of mods down this morning, they travelled a round trip of 580 miles to see it...


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## prettyvacant71 (Jul 22, 2012)

dangerous dave said:


> this was once a seclusion room if you look next to the window the recess pon the wall is all thats left of it it ,would have had a door to cover the window to prevent the user from hurting himself
> 
> would have been same set up as this
> 
> ...



yes ive seen that kinda set up in west park too, shame shes gone now, well almost


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## prettyvacant71 (Jul 22, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> I went down with a certain couple of mods down this morning, they travelled a round trip of 580 miles to see it...



hope u all got in and had a good butchers then


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## prettyvacant71 (Jul 22, 2012)

WarlockUK said:


> This place looks incredible - might very well be worth the drive down from Sheffield.



i wud say so


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## Rachelreid (Sep 16, 2012)

How is security down there? Was it hard to get in? I'd like to try and get some shots but would like to be prepared for what I may come up against first!


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## the_man_1984 (Sep 16, 2012)

Great photos. Thanks for sharing.


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## quade (Sep 22, 2012)

Went there friday after finding the pics on this thread serching google for places, thanks for sharing

I only did the site on the main hospital as time was tight but aiming to have a crack at the water tower the weekend and would kill to find the morge, anytips people?

Found a pretty creepy house out in tiptree on the way home from here as well so was a good day out, will share some of my pics over the week..


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## Dawnwarrior (Sep 22, 2012)

What An Awesome Report. Must Get Down There.


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## twiggy123 (Sep 23, 2012)

Cracking pictures  Really like the tower shots of the site


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## sploradora (Sep 24, 2012)

amazing, love the shots of the murals, nice to see they havnt been vandalised


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## prettyvacant71 (Sep 25, 2012)

SeffyboyUK said:


> We were there the very same day, left about half an hour before you guys. Can't believe tower access was this simple and easy, am now literally kicking myself!
> 
> Nice shots dude.



GUTTED!! and u came from so far......sorry u missed that, it happens to me alot so i feel ur pain


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## chapmand (Oct 1, 2012)

superb pictures there. heard they've began to knock some parts of this site down, can anyone else confirm this?


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## darbians (Oct 1, 2012)

chapmand said:


> superb pictures there. heard they've began to knock some parts of this site down, can anyone else confirm this?



I got escorted off site and walked round most of it in september. No work going on then.


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## chapmand (Oct 1, 2012)

darbians said:


> I got escorted off site and walked round most of it in september. No work going on then.



can't for the life of me were i heard it at now, it was only a couple of days ago when i heard it


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## LairdOfLochaber (Oct 1, 2012)

Maybe I'm crazy, but this doesn't look past saving. Buildings seem pretty sturdy, overall!


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## darbians (Oct 2, 2012)

LairdOfLochaber said:


> Maybe I'm crazy, but this doesn't look past saving. Buildings seem pretty sturdy, overall!



I would agree new roofing is mainly what it needs!


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