# Pool Park Hospital, Ruthin, Denbighshire - March 2012 (Pic Heavy)



## kellisurbex (Mar 10, 2012)

The estate of Pool Park, or as it is sometimes spelt, Pool Parc, has been around a long, long time and was originally one of several deer parks where the owners of nearby Ruthin Castle could hunt. In the 1500s the Salesbury family bought the estate and divided it in two, one half remaining with the father William Salesbury, and the other part going to his son and heir Charles. Charles died with no male heir so his line stopped. The original house and the estate then passed into the Bagot family when Charles' daughter married Sir Walter Bagot.

In 1862 the original house on the estate was re-built in a mock Tudor, half timbered style. No expense was spared on the interior where elaborate wood panelling graces the rooms and corridors and a magnificent oak staircase, complete with ornamental wood carvings, sweeps majestically down two flights of stairs mirrored left and right, into the grand entrance hall. The staircase is said to have originally come from a former bishop's residence called Clocaenog. 

Whilst still remaining in the family's ownership the house was not actually lived in by the Bagots throughout much of the 1800s and then in 1928 they lost it all, lock, stock and barrel, on a bet at the races! 

In order to make the sale of the estate quick and easy the land was split into lots but a Llanwrst timber merchant got the lion's share, subsequently felling and selling much of the timber from the surrounding forest. The house was not sold but was eventually leased to Sir Henry Tate of Tate & Lyle's sugar fame. 

In the mid 1930's Pool Park was bought by the local health authority with the intention of converting it into a convalescent home for 80 male patients, and then during the war this was increased to 120. A prisoner of war camp was also built in the grounds! 

In 1949 the house became a mental hospital to take some of the pressure off nearby Denbigh Asylum which was by now creaking at the seams. At this point female patients began to be treated as well. During the late 60s and early 70s mental asylums in the UK were progressively closed and Pool Park was no exception, finally closing it's doors in 1989. 





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My pictures are nowhere near as good as I've seen but I am an amateurafter all lol and I was so excited that we'd got in I wasn't paying as much attention as I could have. Would like to go back and spend more time on the photos.. 




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Thanks for looking


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## torpsta1974 (Mar 10, 2012)

looks great, doesnt look like its been vandalized to badly. Loved the pics.


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## UE-OMJ (Mar 10, 2012)

Love it! There is nearly always a toy, and a sad link to the past. Why is there nothing like this near me 
Very jealous...


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## UrbanX (Mar 10, 2012)

Nice one, cracking report! Nothing wrong with those photos!


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## flyboys90 (Mar 10, 2012)

Great report & photos, cracking staircase!


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## gushysfella (Mar 10, 2012)

Wow that first pic looks like a classic hunted house lol how did you get that affect?
..........And come on, are you taken toys with you on each explore? Thanks GF


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## kellisurbex (Mar 10, 2012)

gushysfella said:


> Wow that first pic looks like a classic hunted house lol how did you get that affect?
> ..........And come on, are you taken toys with you on each explore? Thanks GF



Haha pure coincidence honest!  
As for the effect on the first pic all I did was play with the lighting and contrast


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## wherever i may roam (Mar 10, 2012)

Shame about the carvings gone on the staircase but i suppose it was only a matter of time really...

Nice work...


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## TeeJF (Mar 10, 2012)

Yeah those carvings were removed last year between the winter and when we did the place in june. It looked to me like an inside job rather than pykeys.


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## fleydog (Mar 10, 2012)

kellisurbex said:


> Haha pure coincidence honest!
> As for the effect on the first pic all I did was play with the lighting and contrast



 its true! i xpected to see a ghost at every next picture!


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## wherever i may roam (Mar 10, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> Yeah those carvings were removed last year between the winter and when we did the place in june. It looked to me like an inside job rather than pykeys.


Yeah.. we went last January,the spindles & a few carvings were still there http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/6783474828/in/set-72157629454323069 ,have these gone aswell? > http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/6783465320/in/set-72157629454323069/


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## mookster (Mar 10, 2012)

That's gone downhill so much in the year since I visited it


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## fearless (Mar 12, 2012)

lovely pics ,when did u visit ? our group last went about 2 months ago and there were development plans on a table of what they r going 2 do with the place ,i heard its all camered up now ?? would love 2 go back 1 last time .


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## Mars Lander (Mar 12, 2012)

fearless said:


> lovely pics ,when did u visit ? our group last went about 2 months ago and there were development plans on a table of what they r going 2 do with the place ,i heard its all camered up now ?? would love 2 go back 1 last time .



Just signs, there are no cams, was there....very recently 

If your planning on going don't leave it too late, been twice testing out cams and lenses lately and each time the changes in condition and attempts to secure it were quite noticeable.


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## kellisurbex (Mar 13, 2012)

fearless said:


> lovely pics ,when did u visit ? our group last went about 2 months ago and there were development plans on a table of what they r going 2 do with the place ,i heard its all camered up now ?? would love 2 go back 1 last time .



Nope no cameras, we saw the development plans too I've no idea when it's going to start. Amazing building though I'd like to go back again before it changes


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