# Whittingham Asylum - May 08



## NobodyGirl (May 11, 2008)

Super happy with this day out! thanks guys! 

Heres the pics








































































still working on the others. Thanks again!!!


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## ashless (May 11, 2008)

Top stuff as always, great day out!


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## restlessdreams (May 12, 2008)

Where abouts was that wheelchair?


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## The_Revolution (May 12, 2008)

Great set of pics; love the corridor shots. I see someone couldn't resist climbing something 

Gutted that I missed out on this trip


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## Kaputnik (May 12, 2008)

great pictures, i like the 'goonies treasure map' one
a good days exploring, and worth the long drive, shame some of us missed the last part due to the very nice security man! 
wheelchair was in the laundry i think.


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## crashmatt (May 12, 2008)

The_Revolution said:


> Great set of pics; love the corridor shots. I see someone couldn't resist climbing something
> 
> Gutted that I missed out on this trip



Um, that was me. And no, I couldn't resist climbing into the top of the lift shaft, well, a few of the lift shafts. And the roof.


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## Neosea (May 12, 2008)

That wall paper is enough to do anyones head in. Thanks for the photo's.


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## crashmatt (May 12, 2008)

Ashless kindly organised a revisit here, we'd been a little while back but only did half the place. CarpetPaul, NobodyGirl and Kaputnik were coming for the first time.

I'm an impatient sod at the best of times, and several hours before we were due to meet, I was inching for the off. So I decided to go early and meet them inside. I arrived and took a wander, and had a good look around. The last time i was there, I didn't see a lot of the exterior - found a route into the site, then building access and was in. This time I wanted to have a good look round. So I had a stroll - there was just enough moon light for me to see. Certainly enough for me to get a good look at the security building from behind a hedge 

I was a little on edge, wandering about in the middle of the night, lacking sleep and running on caffeine, then I heard a silibant voice whisper in my ear! Heart pounding, massive adrenaline rush as I spun round to confront whoever had whispered behind me. Unsurprisingly there was no-one there, it was just my over-active imagination 

Still, I had a nice wander around the grounds and took a good look at everything. Then I popped inside and started to nose about near the access whilst waiting for the others.

I went into the main hall (which I managed to miss last time) to look at the Christmas decorations. At which point my torch bulb went, leaving me reliant on my head torch only 




Stage right




Above the stage. These beams are a little springy, but are safe enough to walk on. Lot of little wheels for taking the cables that the scenery would have been attached to.




The others arrived shortly after this although there was no sign of Kaputnik. So I took them into the hall and they had a look round. After about 30 minutes Kaputnik called and I managed to talk him into the site and upto the access point, without running into any security  So now we were five.

And we continued the exploration

The oft photographed pack of Players Number 6




The projector reel cabinet




A wander through to admin took us to the safe, sadly locked.




A bank note counting machine?




Adding machine




Key rack




My Gran has one of these  Found in the kitchen by the Superintendent's office 




Admin stairs




Random coat hanger




Top of one of the lift shafts. The winch engine, complete with instruction manuals. Bloody frosted glass window deprived me of a view!




Colourful window




In the roof space above on of the male dormitories. Ashless peeking down into the bathroom - the dirty boy.




Guestbook




Stairs in The Lawns




In the basement of The Lawns




Lawns Bedroom




The shop




Arkwright's Till




Typewriter with the longest carriage in the world!




A rather nasty colour scheme




This tower had no glass in the window. Ashless admiring the view




Bathroom




Electric Bill poster




Laundry complex chimney. Just crying out to be climbed.




Dusty bottles




It was around this point that things deviated from the plan. I entered the next building, followed by Ashless - when we heard a voice not belonging to one of the group. We'd been spotted. Bugger.

We waited, but it seemed that Ashless and I were in the clear. However, Kaputnik, Nobodygirl and Carpetpaul had been busted and had been given their marching orders.

So after a hasty phonecall, Ashless and I finished the laundry area, a tunnel and the nurses home at high speed.

A collection of phones




Engineering workshop




Big fat electrical terminals




Great tiling in the stairwell




Groundfloor bedroom in the Nurses Home. Note the metal screens - these cover all the doors and windows.




The roof space




A battery of batteries 




Time was pressing on, and the others were waiting at the pub, so we missed out Cameron House, the water tower and the church. On the way out I spotted this building. Doesn't seem to be part of the main site and isn't listed on any of the plans I've seen. Any idea what it is? It's on the lane right by the the north security hut.




Also I didn't get round to checking the former isolation hospital - anyone know if that's still empty?

It was an excellent day - many laughs, a great site to explore and fantastic weather! All rounded off with a drink in the pub at the close.


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## johno23 (May 12, 2008)

Great reports and awesome pictures,looks like a great old place.

nice work


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## Foxylady (May 13, 2008)

Excellent stuff! Sounds like you had a great day out.


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## Pincheck (May 13, 2008)

Nice pictures perhaps our visit should have been during the day but we went at night and found it a highly depressing place to be we did a complete circuit of the main building. The state in which the building is in is a shame


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## ashless (May 13, 2008)

crashmatt said:


> In the roof space above on of the male dormitories. Ashless peeking down into the bathroom - the dirty boy.



Would you have me any other way?


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## crashmatt (May 13, 2008)

ashless said:


> Would you have me any other way?



I'll have you anyway you like, darling.


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## crashmatt (May 13, 2008)

I guess most people have already seen this, but it was new to me:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqduuza8-Do"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqduuza8-Do[/ame]


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## MD (May 13, 2008)

thats the 1st time ive seen that video
cheers for sharing


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## Pete (May 13, 2008)

The last photo you showed was of west lodge, situated at the junction of the drive between new lodge (on the main road) to st. margarets and the social club.

Last i heard was that the isolation hospital was still in use as Frank Gardham house for people with huntingdons chorea. It used to be called Fryar Villa.

Pete


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## NobodyGirl (May 14, 2008)

crashmatt said:


> I guess most people have already seen this, but it was new to me:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqduuza8-Do



Oh my gosh, Was just watching it and came on to post it and noticed you already had! Nice one haha


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## NobodyGirl (May 14, 2008)

Still editing photos, slowly but surely whilst doing photography for other people also. Heres two more.


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## NobodyGirl (May 14, 2008)

crashmatt said:


> Colourful window



Love this one Crashmatt!!!


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## thompski (May 14, 2008)

Great location, and great shots both of you - despite being the same place they both give different 'vibes' of the place if that makes any sense? I like the shots of nature taking over the place, now that's a environmentally friendly building!


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## Valan (May 15, 2008)

crashmatt said:


> I guess most people have already seen this, but it was new to me:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqduuza8-Do




Have you seen the mini documentary/film Soulfingers (I think that was his username or spacetimecontinum, something like that) did? Ray Gosling all these years later taking a trip back to Whittingham, chucking him over the fence was 'interesting' 
I've got the link somewhere, will have to dig it out, and give Nokturna her copy back or she'll smash my face in!

Nice pics too, some different perspectives/takes on the usual there!


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## BenWRX (May 15, 2008)

The full docs are here: (Original) [ame="http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1193641534144524120&hl=en-GB"]http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1193641534144524120&hl=en-GB[/ame]

and here: [ame]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2tci2_inside-the-asylum_creation[/ame]


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## forgottenson (May 15, 2008)

crashmatt said:


> I guess most people have already seen this, but it was new to me:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqduuza8-Do



That's an incredibly powerful piece. So very sad, don't think I'd like to do the asylum.


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## Valan (May 15, 2008)

Yep, thats the one Ben ta!


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## crashmatt (May 15, 2008)

Thanks guys, those video clips were seriously interesting.

Pete, cheers it's good to know what that building is. I may have to try and get in there too


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## NobodyGirl (May 21, 2008)

Stumbled upon a couple more shots, thought I should post em up. 

In the basement area







The Hall
(Watching the youtube videos and seeing this is amazing. Was nice to see it when it was in use  )





One of the sloping hallways. 





From one of the managerial rooms. Where I opened a tin of boot polish, that had still boot polish in from years ago, that still smelt the same


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## Foxylady (May 21, 2008)

Love your photos, NG. That hallway shot is superb!


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## NobodyGirl (May 21, 2008)

Foxylady said:


> Love your photos, NG. That hallway shot is superb!



Thanks darling!  Its such a photogenic place!!!!


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## marked-man (Jun 17, 2008)

BenWRX said:


> The full docs are here: (Original) http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1193641534144524120&hl=en-GB
> 
> and here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2tci2_inside-the-asylum_creation



For those that watched the film and wondered what happened to the people in it?

The old miner from Chorley that is questioned by the doctor, and he goes dum dee dum, he lives for another 5 years at Whittingham until he dies until then he stops speaking and all he says is dum dee dum.

The woman with lip stick plastered on, she is Polish and appears in the Evening Post wanting to find her relatives.


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## Stoka (Jun 23, 2008)

After years of thinking I've seen every inch of Whittingham, I've been proven wrong. You captured the place brilliantly well done!

I've yet to see the loft-space in the male dormitory


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## djpmc (Aug 26, 2008)

*nice*

nice photo s is the dance hall the building with green triangle thing on top,i ve been 3 times and yet to find??


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## LivingFire (Aug 28, 2008)

Brilliant pictures NobodyGirl, may I ask what camera you're using?

Particularly like the corridor shots and the empty room with the wallpaper.


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## orangeacid (Aug 28, 2008)

Some excellent, excellent photos guys. Especially love that last staircase shot, nobodygirl


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## djpmc (Aug 30, 2008)

*nice*

nice pictures  brilliant place for a xplore and half the place is massive,is there a small chapel in the main building i stumbled across somethin lookin like one,jus curious?is it near the dance hall.ive seen photo s taken from the top of the water tower but looks imposs to get up,but i guess weres there a will ,theres a way!!


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## BenWRX (Aug 31, 2008)

djpmc said:


> is there a small chapel in the main building i stumbled across somethin lookin like one,jus curious?is it near the dance hall.ive seen photo s taken from the top of the water tower but looks imposs to get up,but i guess weres there a will ,theres a way!!



Yes, there is a smaller internal chapel.. it's the Catholic chapel whereas St Johns church, the external one, is CoE.


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## Keep out! (Mar 28, 2009)

BenWRX said:


> The full docs are here: (Original) http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1193641534144524120&hl=en-GB
> 
> and here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2tci2_inside-the-asylum_creation



disturbing.


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