# Rauceby Hospital - June 2012



## ravenwing93 (Jun 7, 2012)

*Visited with TeeJF and 2 non members​*
This was originally another trip over to St John's but we got busted so a back up plan was needed, it's no where near as good an explore as St John's but there's still a few bits left. The vast majority has been demolished and a housing estate has been built, all that remains of the hospital is the chapel, admin block, some wards and other bits which are almost all stripped back to the brick, the admin block has some rather nice mosaics on the floors.

There are some boards around the sales building of the housing estate which give details on the hospitals history complete with some period photos. Here's links to photos of them (To be legible the photos are quite big):
Introducing De Vessey Village
The Beginning 1902-1939
Timeline

I wouldn't recommend making a trip specifically to see this if it's a long distance, in my opinion it's not worth it unless you happen to be passing or live in the area.



> The hospital was designed by GT Hine, construction began in 1897 and was completed in 1902. Operated by the Kesteven County Council the facility was renamed to Kesteven Mental Hospital in 1924 and to Rauceby Mental Hospital in 1933.
> In 1940 the building was taken over by the Royal Air Force, renamed as No.4 RAF Hospital Rauceby it became a crash and burns unit under the control of nearby RAF Cranwell. During its tenure as a burns unit plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe worked at the facility, along with other members of the "Guinea Pig Club".
> The wartime Burns Unit was situated in Orchard House, built alongside the hospital orchard - one of the last remaining parts of Rauceby Mental Hospital to remain in NHS use as offices for the former Lincolnshire South West PCT following the Mental Health Hospital's closure in 1998.
> An isolation hospital, built on the western edge of the site was never used as such; instead it housed those residents working on the farm and now functions as a 12-bedded in-patient unit for age 12-18 years within the child and adolescent mental health services under the control of the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust).
> ...
















































Thanks for looking


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## urban phantom (Jun 7, 2012)

nice one mate ive been wanting to do this one for while now


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## flyboys90 (Jun 7, 2012)

Your right not much left! shame its a great looking building,thanks for sharing.


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## MD (Jun 7, 2012)

nice did you get any shots of the conservatory ? 
also orchard house is just behind it 
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=21501&highlight=orchard+house


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## ravenwing93 (Jun 7, 2012)

MD said:


> nice did you get any shots of the conservatory ?
> also orchard house is just behind it
> http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=21501&highlight=orchard+house



Yeah I got some of the conservatory, it's not in too bad shape but my photos of it are pretty awful!

And damn, should of checked that out whilst we were there, looks good!


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## UrbanX (Jun 7, 2012)

Ooh, get you! You're busting out all the fantastic reports! 
Not seen anything of this place for ages, so lovely to see it again! Fantastic pics too. 
Cheers for sharing pics! Cant wait for your next adventure!


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## Priority 7 (Jun 7, 2012)

Whats this TeeJF on group explores? Nice work raven nice photo's too....how is TJ as a group tour guide


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## ravenwing93 (Jun 7, 2012)

Priority 7 said:


> Whats this TeeJF on group explores? Nice work raven nice photo's too....how is TJ as a group tour guide



Was good meeting up with more explorers!
We were supposed to be going to St John's, but security turned up and got upset at us 

Thanks for all the comments guys, will post up some more soon


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## TeeJF (Jun 8, 2012)

Some cracking pix there fella, you managed to make it look far nicer than it was I think which was quite an achievement with that place. I was gutted when the chapel turned out to be a dumping ground though, I had high hopes for that part of the site.

Martyn, we weren't tour guides, just part of a like minded group.


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## TeeJF (Jun 8, 2012)

*Some additional photographs to hopefully compliment those from Ravenwing...*

*There's no point in me putting up a huge report on the site straight after the excellent stuff Ravenwing posted so here's a few of our piccies to hopefully compliment his work. If you want to see our take on it then CLICK HERE and you'll be re-directed to our own urbex website.
*








*Admin block...*








*Victorian tiles stairwell...*








*Admin block from a ward window...*








*I call this The Blue Corridor...*








*A flock of rampant urbexers after their prey  *








*The conservatory...*








*More stair porn...*








*In the chapel...*



*Cheers y'all!*​


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## sonyes (Jun 8, 2012)

Nice reports, ravenwing93 and TeeJF. 

Some really good pics on there, shame its just a shell, looks like it could've been a great place.
Love the chapel.


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## ravenwing93 (Jun 8, 2012)

Nicely done Martin!

Oh and a quick note to anyone coming here always check to see if the door around the corner is open... :


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## TeeJF (Jun 8, 2012)

ravenwing93 said:


> Oh and a quick note to anyone coming here always check to see if the door around the corner is open... :



*EPICCCCCCCCC! *


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## baj88 (Jun 8, 2012)

Gutted I was working looking at these pics now! Nice shots both of you


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## LulaTaHula (Jun 9, 2012)

That looks totally worth it! Been meaning to have a look at this place for 4 years! Hope to see it when I'm further north later this month. Good on you for taking a look as not many people would bother nowadays but a Hine's a Hine as far as I'm concerned


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## rectory-rat (Jun 9, 2012)

Ooh very nice...didn't realise Rauceby still had anything left to offer really. Must get myself up there seeing as I'm just down the road 

-RR


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## TeeJF (Jun 11, 2012)

What's a Hine Lou?

You're up't north? Come and have a cuppa!


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## ravenwing93 (Jun 11, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> What's a Hine Lou?
> 
> You're up't north? Come and have a cuppa!



G T Hine, designer of many asylums including this one


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## MD (Jun 11, 2012)

its still one of my fave hospitals 
there are also two small graveyards near the hospital worth l;ooking at


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## Goldie87 (Jun 11, 2012)

Nice to see some recent pics, all the old skool places seem to be suddenly turning up again! Remember our first visit here the demo guys were all over the place, we had to go St Johns first and return later on in the day.


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## LulaTaHula (Jun 12, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> What's a Hine Lou?
> 
> You're up't north? Come and have a cuppa!



Hine's my favourite asylum architect! Yep, up north soon. Will PM you re that cuppa - thanks!


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## SeffyboyUK (Jun 12, 2012)

Nice one dude. That really is a nice building!


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## prettyvacant71 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks for sharing mate, you got some good shots in a sad lookin place, i hope its gettin redeveloped and not flattened....i must make the same comments for both posts or i may start a fight Love the sneaky shot of them all busy takin shots...the sort of thing i do too


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## prettyvacant71 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks for sharing mate, looks like it was an impressive place in its day


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## TeeJF (Jun 13, 2012)

prettyvacant71 said:


> Love the sneaky shot of them all busy takin shots...the sort of thing i do too



That's "the boss" who took that! She doesn't do the "main" photography when we 'splore but gets lots of sort of interesting angles as it were. She took one of us all in St. Johns a couple of hours before where everyone is squatting by their tripods. She wants it captioned "where urbexers go to roost" when we eventually get round to posting them!


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## Ruby1995 (Jun 15, 2012)

Thanks for sharing! Didn't even know you had that shot of us through the trees


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## Mars Lander (Jun 15, 2012)

Greati magery you guys looks to be an ok splore this does


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## TeeJF (Jun 15, 2012)

Ruby1995 said:


> Thanks for sharing! Didn't even know you had that shot of us through the trees



Ha ha! Hiya Rubes! Yes TJ has a habit of taking little "candid" pix like that when I'm not watching! Makes a change for it not just to be me she's caught on the hop as it were!



AltDayOut said:


> Greati magery you guys looks to be an ok splore this does



It's OK in as much as it's a fall back 'splore bud. We'd been busted at St. Johns so it seemed a shame to have gone all that way and not get something in the bag! I wouldn't go out of my way to do it and it was as much about 'sploring in good company as the actual 'splore! One for the stand by list!


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## Mars Lander (Jun 15, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> Ha ha! Hiya Rubes! Yes TJ has a habit of taking little "candid" pix like that when I'm not watching! Makes a change for it not just to be me she's caught on the hop as it were!
> 
> 
> 
> It's OK in as much as it's a fall back 'splore bud. We'd been busted at St. Johns so it seemed a shame to have gone all that way and not get something in the bag! I wouldn't go out of my way to do it and it was as much about 'sploring in good company as the actual 'splore! One for the stand by list!



Yeah I knew it was Ravenwings fallback plan rather than a full on splore , didnt realise you all went at the same time , was it a grand bust there then?


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## ravenwing93 (Jun 15, 2012)

AltDayOut said:


> Yeah I knew it was Ravenwings fallback plan rather than a full on splore , didnt realise you all went at the same time , was it a grand bust there then?



I think the nosy local watching us walk over to the building called up the angry security guard who turned up with his rather large Alsatian.

He was okay with us to be fair, at least we got to take the easy route out


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## Sshhhh... (Jun 15, 2012)

Nice, very nice! Great pics from you all, looks like a great little mooch


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## _Nyx_ (Jun 15, 2012)

Excellent series of shots  I'm new to this field and becoming well aware it's always good to have a back up plan !


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## stevejd (Jun 15, 2012)

ravenwing93 said:


> I think the nosy local watching us walk over to the building called up the angry security guard who turned up with his rather large Alsatian.
> 
> He was okay with us to be fair, at least we got to take the easy route out



It may have also been the new CCTV covering the rear of the hospital operated by the local council that alerted him. 
The residents of Greylees (Rauceby site) are fiercely protective about the location following visits by metal thieves and non villager vandalism recently, hence the CCTV. What with window boards on the south side being pulled off and spotting a 'A flock of rampant urbexers after their prey' (you must admit could look a little dodgy), not suprised the guard turned up. Must of scared him though, actually had to do some work.

As an ex member of staff, the pics are brilliant and caused a tear or two to a few ex staff who have seen them after i posted a link on another site.


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## TeeJF (Jun 17, 2012)

_Nyx_ said:


> Excellent series of shots  I'm new to this field and becoming well aware it's always good to have a back up plan !



Several fall back plans doesn't hurt to be honest! We went over to Belgium in May and rocked up at our first explore only to find that in 8 months it had changed from a complete and largely intact military hospital to several converted ward blocks (flats), a clinic and a large, open space. TeeJF - 0 developers a lightning fast 1. 

So we trek to Liege and tried our next splore... I lost count of the number of Group 4 security vans parked in the car park, must have been a convention... T - 0 rest of the world 2, onwards! Chartreuse Fort... just moving a chunk of concrete aside to crawl in, window opens, "Oy!!!"... TeeJF - 0 Rest of the world 3. 

Finally we got an explore in after a day and a half of epic fails but even then we had to slip the secca a few Euros to let us in! That worked well for us though, we had the entire site completely to ourselves for as long as we wanted!

Many a slip twixt cup and lip as they say in China!


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## Simon (Jun 19, 2012)

I never understood the lack of popularity of Rauceby. It a great building to explore, absolutely complete, in a rural quiet setting ******

It was one of several asylums I posted on my website ten years ago. Yet whilst Cane Hill and Severalls became firm favourites, Rauceby was mostly neglected.

It's strange how some places become popular and others are simply left alone.

Haven't worked out why yet...

All the best,
Simon


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## TeeJF (Jun 24, 2012)

Simon said:


> It's strange how some places become popular and others are simply left alone.
> 
> Haven't worked out why yet...



Couldn't agree more mate. There's nowt so odd as urbexers! Love your site BTW, awesome work.


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## Headflux (Jun 25, 2012)

Couple of photos I got of the glass house/conservatory when I was there .. This building was the highlight for me


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## UrbanX (Jun 25, 2012)

Excellent shots all of ya! The pace is properlly stripped Cant believe ho 'busy' it was on site there when we went. 

Loving that wideangle of the conservatory Headflux!


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## Headflux (Jun 25, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> Excellent shots all of ya! The pace is properlly stripped Cant believe ho 'busy' it was on site there when we went.
> 
> Loving that wideangle of the conservatory Headflux!



Cheers Lee... Was quite busy wasn't it lol


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