# St Andrews Asylum and Cricket Pavillion - Norwich - July 2012



## steve2109 (Jul 8, 2012)

Visited my first Hospital yesterday in the company of my daughter, Decided to do St Andrews as i worked there in the early 2000's so was interested to see how it looked now - A brief History first for anyone new:

"The Norfolk Lunatic Asylum was situated in Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St Andrew near Norwich. The buildings were originally designed for the reception of 40 male patients in April 1814, followed by female patients in June of the same year. Roughly 70 patients were present on average in the early years. Extensions in 1831 and 1840 allowed this number to double and more substantial additions in the late 1850s as well as the construction of an auxiliary asylum, which was completed in 1881, some 700 inpatients could be accommodated. In April 1889 the institution was re-titled the Norfolk County Asylum, and after its modernisation into 'a hospital for mental disorders' there was room for more than 1,000 patients.

In 1920 it was named Norfolk Mental Hospital although the local use of the alternative, St Andrew's Hospital, was officially recognised from January 1924 onwards. .

From the 1950s onwards - with improved therapies and new medications, the changing perceptions of patients' rights, and increasingly critical assessment of the psychiatric hospital as as an appropriate setting - St Andrew's spent most of its years as an NHS hospital. In 1994 a separate NHS Trust for mental health care services in Norfolk was set up for the Hospital. The hospital was eventually closed in April 1998. The original grade II listed hospital buildings from 1814, situated to the south of Yarmouth Road, have since been converted into private housing.

In January 2011 the auxiliary asylum - St Andrew’s House and its 13-acre site - situated north of Yarmouth Road, on the edge of St Andrew’s Business Park that has sprung up around it, has been put on the market by NHS Norfolk, touted as a prime site for development. It was most recently used as offices by the Norfolk Primary Care Trust, now NHS Norfolk, which left in 2007 for more modern premises. "

I must say I found this a really interesting explore, the darkness and silence made for a most surreal atmosphere and added to the heightened senses and 'fear' when entering dark rooms and corridors (my daughters words not mine !) I have added my photos below but feel they don't really capture the place, I had a real problem with lighting as the whole place is boarded up and I was only armed with my camera flash and a small torch - any tips from the more experienced explorers on here on lighting would be greatly appreciated. Anyway on with the photos:































































































































































































































On the way out I remembered there used to be an old cricket ground and pavilion attached to the hospital at the front and decided to see if it was still there, I was surprised to see it still standing and accessible and full of interesting cricket stuff ! 
























































All in All it was a really good explore and my most enjoyable to date, a massive thank you to UE-OMJ

Hope you enjoyed looking


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## TeeJF (Jul 8, 2012)

Nice!

This place was tighter than a nun's chuff last year. Must get ove rthere and have a look for myself. It's sad to see it is getting chavved up now, so clearly it's on a down hill slide already.


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## UE-OMJ (Jul 8, 2012)

Good to see the place again, doesnt look too much worse than when I was there. Glad you both got in this time too. Nice extra bit with the Pavillion too.

I still say thats the most spooked I've ever been on an explore in there.

Did you go up that hidden ladder?


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## UE-OMJ (Jul 8, 2012)

Your daughter doesnt look too impressed in the 2nd to last pic...


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## steve2109 (Jul 8, 2012)

lol she was getting hungry mate, been up since 05:30 ! I stuck my head up the ladder and it led into the loft space and a big water tank, no walkway up there and quite dark so didn't risk it !


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## steve2109 (Jul 8, 2012)

fractured,dislocated and broke them playing cricket mate ! was certainly a moody explore but good as well


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## shane.c (Jul 8, 2012)

Good pics thanks for posting,


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## Priority 7 (Jul 8, 2012)

Nice work steve, 



steve2109 said:


> fractured,dislocated and broke them playing cricket mate ! was certainly a moody explore but good as well



Shoudl have borrowed those gloves in the pavillion mate


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## Maddie220790 (Jul 9, 2012)

Absolutely loving the cricket place! I live near Norwich but am away at the moment, so might just have to take a look at this when I get back!


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## UrbanX (Jul 9, 2012)

Real nice report, well done sir! 
I visited here years ago, and it's definitely deteriorated. 
Cheers for sharing something a bit different!


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## Mars Lander (Jul 9, 2012)

Great report and pikkies looks like you had a great time there


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## flyboys90 (Jul 9, 2012)

Nice find,love the cricket pav & gear.


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