# Talgarth Asylum (Mid Wales Hospital), South Wales - May 2017



## Mr_Banjo (May 16, 2017)

This is my first post so I hope it turns out with the images alright, and I'll try not to ramble on too much!

So myself and a friend are VERY new to photography and also to urban exploration (actually he's more the photographer, just got a new camera and likes dramatic scenes, natural decay etc). He is based in South Wales and I went for a visit, so we got talking about exploring a couple of sights over the weekend and after a bit of research we settled on two large, but well known sites.

Talgarth Asylum was the first:

I won't go too much in to the history as it's apparently a very well known site, but here is a very quick and basic recap for anybody who is interested (most of this info is from Wikipedia);

First opened in 1903 the asylum was designed to be self-sufficient, and had its own private water, electricity, heating and sewerage systems as well as a considerable agricultural estate on which able-bodied patients worked to produce food for the hospital.
As well as residential wards, the hospital had a large recreation and dining hall, kitchens, workshops "in which the patients [were] encouraged to spend their time profitably", a tailor, bakery, shoe-maker and printing shops as well as 8 acres of market gardens.
With the advent of Care in the Community and changing attitudes towards mental healthcare, services at the hospital were wound down during the 1990s and the last wards closed in 1999.
In 2009 the site was offered for sale. By this time, several properties that once belonged to the hospital, such as the gatehouse, had been sold off and the buildings were becoming derelict. There are signs of demolition throughout the site and many of the original slates (believed to be worth in excess of £1 million) were stripped from the roofs. The large derelict site has recently become an attraction to many urban explorers despite improved security measures.


The site is still accessible, but literally crumbling beneath your feet. Every step around here was taken with extreme care. I love the way that nature is slowly taking this place back, and how different one set of photos are from the next only a few months apart.

We were there for about 3 hours and saw only a very small amount of the site, I am definitely planning another visit in the future...anyway I've done what I said i wouldn't do and rambled on....have some photos!

These are a combination of me using a GoPro and my mate using his new SLR (posting with his permission) (my photos didn't come out great this time but before my next explore I was able to fine tune some setting and they were much better!)


Hallway where we first entered the building...we were almost immediately greeted by a couple of friendly explorers who have us a few pointers about the site(after a quick change of pants that is!), could have been somebody from this forum?


hallway_1 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr

A few of the ballroom, where we met another friendly group of 4 explorers, perhaps somebody from here?


GOPR1320 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr


ballroom_1 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr

Notice the bath that looks like it may have fallen through from upstairs.


bath by Mr Banjo, on Flickr


GOPR1334 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr


DSC_0072 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr


staircase_1 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr

Outside in the courtyard...nature taking it back.


GOPR1339 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr

Very cool how the floor had collapsed but left the carpet draped over the joist.


GOPR1343 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr

We didn't want to risk walking on the wooden floor upstairs here but the window frame of the door looks very thick, and the location is about right where I had found what was a padded cell on an old map. It would be great if anybody is able to confirm this?


GOPR1344 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr

Finally, an arty skyline shot!


skyline_1 by Mr Banjo, on Flickr

I hope you have enjoyed, this was my very first explore and report and I'm now hooked!

Thanks for looking.


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## mockingbird (May 16, 2017)

Excellent post, loving the angles


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## Mr_Banjo (May 16, 2017)

Thanks Mockingbird.

Only the GoPro images are mine though, my mate took the others (you can tell that they are a lot sharper and more detailed).


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## smiler (May 16, 2017)

Nice One, I enjoyed it, Thanks


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## krela (May 16, 2017)

Welcome to the site Mr Banjo. It's crazy to think this site was mostly intact until a few years ago, nature and water work fast.


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## Mr_Banjo (May 16, 2017)

Krela
Yes, as I understand when the property was first sold off the roof tiles got stripped off pretty quickly, no doubt this has played a big part in the accelerated decay. It's a shame in a way to see it so diminished but makes each report of it quite different as time goes by.
It's very unsafe in places now though so extreme caution is advised for future explorers!


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## krela (May 16, 2017)

Mr_Banjo said:


> Krela
> Yes, as I understand when the property was first sold off the roof tiles got stripped off pretty quickly, no doubt this has played a big part in the accelerated decay. It's a shame in a way to see it so diminished but makes each report of it quite different as time goes by.
> It's very unsafe in places now though so extreme caution is advised for future explorers!



It's the person who owns the site who stripped it. It was very controversial at the time as it condemned the whole site to this end and the local council did nothing to prevent it.


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## jsp77 (May 16, 2017)

Nice first report, i enjoyed it. Had a little nosey round here a month or so ago. 

Looking forward to seeing some more reports


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## HughieD (May 16, 2017)

Welcome and great first report.


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## prettyvacant71 (May 17, 2017)

Good first report...yes I love the way nature has taken over, but like Krela says its man that has sadly sped up the process.


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## King Al (May 17, 2017)

Superb first report Mr Banjo!! Really like that shot of the carpet over the beam


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## Mr_Banjo (May 17, 2017)

King Al said:


> Superb first report Mr Banjo!! Really like that shot of the carpet over the beam



Thanks King Al,

That was a very surreal scene, as we were perched on the edge of a concrete staircase...the only part of the floor we knew we could rely on. Very cool to see!


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## flyboys90 (May 18, 2017)

Great collection of splendid shots.Thanks for sharing.


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