# North Wales hospital ( Denbigh county asylum) October 2012



## Sshhhh... (Nov 3, 2012)

On a beautiful sunny day, a day off work, what shall we do today, Lets go to Denbigh! i pipe. Ive been wanting to revisit for a long time, the last time my battery died and never getting over that trauma, i made sure it would never happen again. I now have four..to be on the safe side.... An hour later me and AltDayOut are driving down the motorway, me as giddy as a child going to the fair. I am completely in awe of this magnificent building, even from a distance when I spied her beyond the fields, there is a powerful dominating presence about her. A shiver ran down my spine and my skin tingles with goosebumps.
Asylums are definately one of my favourite explores, I feel an affinity with them, Alt would prob nod his head in agreement and understanding especially some months  With it being a spontaneous last minute decision we only had a couple of hours and we didnt get to see as much as we would have liked,so a revisit is on the cards. 
Brief history; Designed by the arcitect Thomas Fulljames, build started 1844, finished four years later. This was a much needed psychiatric hospital for North Wales because some patients in need of this kind of care only spoke welsh and were sent to english speaking asylums, which you can imagine would make their condition much worse.The land, twenty acres was donated by Joseph Ablett of Llanber hall and later money for the clock tower was donated by his wife in memory of him. The hospital was built to house 200 patients but as time went by with overcrowding extentions and renovations were done. By 1956 it was at maximum capacity holding 1,500 patients with 1,000 staff on hand.Experimental treatments were carried out on patients during its history and in 1941 Electrics shock therapy was introduced. Sections of it were closed between 1991 and 2001. From october 31st 2008 the debatable Most haunted filmed a week long special on the asylum called the village of 
the damned, making a padded cell and drawing pentagrams in two rooms in the nurses quarters so they could summon the devil.Unfortunately in November 2008 an arson attack destroyed the main hall.
Some demolition sadly has occurred.
On with the pics 






















Didnt venture into here for obvious reasons

























Unfortunately some demo has happened








































Our exit was timed perfectly, as we were leaving across a field a dark jeep was driving around the perimeter so that was a close call . Luckily aswell we didnt have a run in with beardy

Thanks for looking ​


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## UE-OMJ (Nov 3, 2012)

Looks such an awesome place, the last shot is my fav, but they are all good. Very brave to take on Mr Beardy (even though he missed you)


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## perjury saint (Nov 3, 2012)

*One of my first explores this was, didnt have a camera at the time though so really must go back!
Crackin pictures there Sshhh...*


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## UEP-Wales (Nov 3, 2012)

Some great shots there! Always enjoy seeing reports on this place


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## SeffyboyUK (Nov 3, 2012)

Excellent! Been wandering when someone would do this again after all the workers had left. Need to get myself up to North Wales methinks


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## flyboys90 (Nov 3, 2012)

Amazing building,great photos thanks for sharing.


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## UrbexMami (Nov 3, 2012)

Beautiful building, stunning pictures. Thank you x


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## Silent Hill (Nov 3, 2012)

Elwyn is now driving around in a dark jeep! So It probably was the old bearded one that you spotted  Even when he departs this mortal coil I'm sure he shall still roam the Asylum grounds. 

It's certainly taken a battering since my visit, and those floors now look like sponges :shocked:


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## Sshhhh... (Nov 3, 2012)

Spiral Architect said:


> Elwyn is now driving around in a dark jeep! So It probably was the old bearded one that you spotted  Even when he departs this mortal coil I'm sure he shall still roam the Asylum grounds.
> 
> It's certainly taken a battering since my visit, and those floors now look like sponges :shocked:



Im not sure if it was beardy or not, to be honest. We were very aware that he could have been roaming around so we were thankful we didnt bump into him! Im sure though he still has his white van from what ive been told. The dark jeep could have been someone else. Haha and yes I agree, i think he will still roam these grounds when he departs this world. 
Those floors are dodgy in places and we didnt even chance them


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## Bones out (Nov 3, 2012)

Sshhhh... said:


> Im not sure if it was beardy or not, to be honest. We were very aware that he could have been roaming around so we were thankful we didnt bump into him! Im sure though he still has his white van from what ive been told. The dark jeep could have been someone else. Haha and yes I agree, i think he will still roam these grounds when he departs this world.
> Those floors are dodgy in places and we didnt even chance them



We had the pleasure of him on the footpath, a dark green Jiminy effort him and his ape were driving...

Anyway, wonderful report and cracking work with the pictures!

Thank you....


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## Pen15 (Nov 3, 2012)

Well done for getting out there and getting in. As well as Beardy and hid dog, he also has a henchman......As we found out lol

Love the shots Sshhhh !


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## shane.c (Nov 3, 2012)

Well done good pics did there knock it all down,


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## Tig007 (Nov 3, 2012)

Shot ten, the first and the last shots you have posted have a surreal quality about them that is intriguing me. Did you use a special technique with them? I have seen some similar from Muddy Funkster and I believe he was using some technique. They look brilliant by the way, I am reminded of generated sci-fi pictures when the artist is trying to make the picture look very real. Great set, gonna have to go have a look myself I think. Thank you.


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## The Cat Crept In (Nov 3, 2012)

I never get tired of looking at this place  You've got some great pics here thanks for posting...


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## fleydog (Nov 3, 2012)

So spooky! Very well done. Thank you.


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## Lucky Pants (Nov 3, 2012)

Well done for going back, pictures are fab .


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## prettyvacant71 (Nov 3, 2012)

As usual a fantastic report wiv amazing pics!!!

The first shot had me wanting to jump in me motor and head up there now

I seem to always say the same things wen i see ur and Alt's posts, great pics and wonderful processing....ur often lucky with the light too too

Then floors make Whit look almost safe!...i hope i can get up to see her whilst shes still standing.

Thanx for sharing


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## Sshhhh... (Nov 4, 2012)

Bonesout said:


> We had the pleasure of him on the footpath, a dark green Jiminy effort him and his ape were driving...
> 
> Anyway, wonderful report and cracking work with the pictures!
> 
> Thank you....



We were sure he was still in the white van, we were lucky then and now we know what to look out for! How did he react to you? Thankyou for the great comment


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## wherever i may roam (Nov 4, 2012)

Nice to see some updated pics from here....


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## UrbexMami (Nov 4, 2012)

That last shot is beautiful. You can imagine just how menacing the place looked when it was first built. 

Thank you for the beautiful pics, I don't think I will ever get to see that place before it's completely demolished.


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## krela (Nov 4, 2012)

The processing of the photos and the dereliction make it look a lot more menacing than it would have been in its active life.


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## UrbexMami (Nov 4, 2012)

krela said:


> The processing of the photos and the dereliction make it look a lot more menacing than it would have been in its active life.



Asylums were meant to be menacing. They were used by parents to threaten children. The fact that most of the hospitals that were built in the 1800's were mainly self-contained and usually isolated added to the atmosphere of the place.

They weren't happy places when they were first built. Although pioneering EEG (Electricshock therapies, which are still used today but only under sedation) along with other medical approaches to mental health, asylums, as you probably know housed not only the insane and criminal, but many were used to house bastard children, unmarried mothers and anyone who was remotely different. If they didn't fit into society they were housed in these places or the workhouses.

They weren't meant to be happy places. They were used to put the fear of god into people, literally. With many people thinking they could get off criminal charges by pleading insane, they would be sent to the Asylums. If they were deemed by the doctors on site as not insane, then they would be transferred (eventually) to a prison.

I read a book on my ipod about Broadmoor's history and there was mention of several women who had been sent there from Wales who spoke only fluent welsh, so the opening of Denbigh would have meant they would have been transferred. 

Sorry, blabbing on now. x


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## krela (Nov 4, 2012)

You really need to re-check your history of mental health because most of that is hopelessly wrong, and whilst treatment in county asylums was far from good (and treatment of mental health still is, no-one has ever figured it out yet), the aim of them was humanistic and therapeutic in intention, and they aimed to provide secure but pleasant surroundings..


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## UrbexMami (Nov 4, 2012)

krela said:


> You really need to re-check your history of mental health because most of that is hopelessly wrong, and whilst treatment in county asylums was far from good (and treatment of mental health still is, no-one has ever figured it out yet), the aim of them was humanistic and therapeutic in intention, and they aimed to provide secure but pleasant surroundings..



That's what I love about this place. You learn new things constantly. I guess I have always wanted to lean towards the darker side of the histories of these places. The negatives, if you will.

I would never have thought of them as pleasant surroundings. I suppose a lot of modern fictional literature and television has a lot to answer for, if people, like myself (who I thought was educated  ) have a wrong interpretation of it all. 

I know that with there was a darker element to the "caring" and "educational" side of mental health back then, that was exploited by people in power, but I was under the impression that it happened a lot. Sorry for running my mouth off. x


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## Mars Lander (Nov 4, 2012)

Great report and sterling imagery was a great adventure the threat of a beardy encounter kept us on our toes


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## mrtoby (Nov 4, 2012)

bloody good show, love it.


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## ImmortalShadow (Nov 4, 2012)

Glad to see the place is still standing, got some great shots there


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## skankypants (Nov 4, 2012)

Top notch,thanks for posting..


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## kevsy21 (Nov 5, 2012)

Good to see this place again,nicely captured.Good work.


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## Stealthstar79 (Nov 5, 2012)

This place has always been top of my favourite list
Shame I got in this game a little too late!
It's too far away from me and in such a bad way it's not worth the journey.
Such a beautiful building and great report!
Thanks....


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## samiileigh (Nov 6, 2012)

Great report! Thankyou!

I have a soft spot for asylums, and this is one of my favourites. I'd love to get the chance to go one day before it's too late, but she looks like she's in a pretty bad way already! Ah well, maybe one day. 

Thanks again


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## AndyC (Jan 5, 2013)

Sshhhh... said:


> We were sure he was still in the white van, we were lucky then and now we know what to look out for! How did he react to you? Thankyou for the great comment



The very last few seconds of this camera's life shows it to be a dark coloured 4X4 (might be green).

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTkk1F_E2BE[/ame]


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## sonyes (Jan 5, 2013)

Lovely pics as usual, love the processing. Looks a fantastic place


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 6, 2013)

AndyC said:


> The very last few seconds of this camera's life shows it to be a dark coloured 4X4 (might be green).
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTkk1F_E2BE



Ah yes, well it could have been him then. Hes a nasty piece of work, glad we didnt have the 'pleasure' of meeting him!


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## glazios (Jan 6, 2013)

AndyC said:


> The very last few seconds of this camera's life shows it to be a dark coloured 4X4 (might be green).
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTkk1F_E2BE



What an unpleasant fellow, oh dear. The fact that the camera was damaged irreparably might be grounds for charges of assault, almost certainly for criminal damage. You were standing in the roadway, going about your business, and he attacked you for no valid reason. I don't care where the law stands on Urban Exploration, he had absolutely no right or justification for behaving in such a manner toward another pedestrian. You should report it, at least; no matter what he says, the law is on your side, here.


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## Wakey Lad (Jan 14, 2013)

This set of picturegraphs make me want to jump in the car and drive to Wales - Stunning! I seriously need to go here


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## Mars Lander (Jan 15, 2013)

Wakey Lad said:


> This set of picturegraphs make me want to jump in the car and drive to Wales - Stunning! I seriously need to go here



If your going on a weekday call for me on the way, if theres room, wouldnt mind going back


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