# Whittingham Asylum: October 2011



## Mars Lander (Oct 25, 2011)

Came here about a month ago and the first time we got nabbed but the next day we were in but as it's huge we had to go back again and we still not seen even half it did I say it's HUGE!!!

There were extra fences up and on the way, my fellow explorer_ lucky pants_ spotted a security van heading towards us, just had time to get into the trees as they drove past very slowly haha was ACE!

snarfed from wiki...

Whittingham Hospital, whose grounds adjoin the village of Goosnargh, grew to be the largest mental hospital in the country, and pioneered the use of electroencephalograms (EEGs). During its time it had its own church, farms, railway, telephone exchange, post office, reservoirs, gas works, brewery, orchestra, brass band, ballroom and butchers.[5]

In 1866, the three Lancashire lunatic asylums at Prestwich, Rainhill and Lancaster were deemed to be full.[6] The building of Whittingham Asylum began in 1869, originally to accommodate 1000 patients.[7] It was built from brick made from clay dug on site from a pit which later became a fish pond.[8]

The hospital officially opened on 1 April 1873. The large site included an Anglican church, a Catholic chapel, a recreation hall (also used as a ballroom) and several farms.[9]

The Whittingham Hospital Railway was a two-mile (3 km) private branch to Grimsargh, built in 1887, to provide coal and other goods. It also provided free transport for staff and passengers.[10] It eventually closed in on 30 June 1957.[11]

In the early years there was a brewery on the site.[12] At the end of the first World War, a part of the hospital (later known as “St Margaret’s Division”) was used as a military hospital.[13] It was again used for this purpose during the second World War.[14]

By 1923, the hospital was known as “Whittingham Mental Hospital”.[13] By 1939, the number of patients was 3533, with a staff of 548, making it the largest mental hospital in the country.[14]

By 1948, it had incorporated Ribchester Hospital, and became known as “Whittingham Hospital”.

The Mental Health Act of 1960 deemed large institutions like Whittingham to be out of favour. Allegations of cruelty to patients led to a public inquiry.[15]

During the 1970s and 1980s, new drugs and therapies were introduced. Long-stay patients were returned to the community or dispersed to smaller units around Preston. The hospital eventually closed in 1995. [15]

Enough already lets pik....























































































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Thanks for looking​


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## klempner69 (Oct 25, 2011)

Welcome to DP and a very good first post too..this has been on my list for so long but I am soo lazy of late regards driving!Great shots.


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## tattooed (Oct 25, 2011)

Excellent post, thanks for sharing


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## King Al (Oct 25, 2011)

Always great to see that hall  good stuff ADO


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## urban phantom (Oct 25, 2011)

Great pictures mate looks a good explore thanks for sharing


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## Mars Lander (Oct 27, 2011)

Thanks for your nice comments guys


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## JEP27 (Oct 27, 2011)

Nice pics....now I definately need to get back there


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## Foxylady (Oct 27, 2011)

I'm amazed to see the snowflake decoration still there! Superb pics ADO...and welcome to DP both of you.


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## dougbrown (Oct 29, 2011)

Cool post looks great place


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## Silent Hill (Oct 29, 2011)

One Asylum I never got round to visiting  You captured it well mate.

I heard that demo was ongoing here now ??


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## Pincheck (Oct 29, 2011)

Yeh well your a brave man was one of my least favourite asylums even to this day to have visited. Its just so Knackered we went in the a complete circle in the main building a few years ago and Jesus was i happy to leave and the security biker we ment is lucky he didn't get a earful from me for the state of the place 

Well done mate


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## st33ly (Oct 29, 2011)

Great pics! 
Love that first chair shot


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## lisa_bunny (Oct 29, 2011)

Right on my doorstep but never been in! Thanks for sharing


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## PaulPowers (Oct 30, 2011)

Someones been a busy been, great report as always


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## Lucky Pants (Jan 9, 2012)

Hey nice pics there scooby dooby doooooo .


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## TeeJF (Jan 9, 2012)

Spiral Architect said:


> I heard that demo was ongoing here now ??




The last time I was there sometime after this report demo were not working and there was no evidence to suggest they had been...

BUT...

There has been some tree felling, and that enormous pailing fence was we think a fairly recent build. So if they are going to the trouble of securing the place something is in the offing I'd say.

AND...

Some weeks before I finally got to see the inside of the place (*thanks guys for your help, you know who you are and didn't we have a great day!*) Tonto and I did a daylight recce bold as brass and just before security rocked up to see us off (very polite and thoroughly nice peeps as it turned out) we saw two blokes wandering around INSIDE the perimeter with clip boards, hard hats and hi viz. Of course they could just have been more explorers wearing urb-ex camo! 

So the only demo prior to the last time we were there still appears to be the very old work carried out over towards the (still functioning) sports club and farm.

Do it now I'd say...


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## shelh890 (Jan 16, 2012)

Hey, I am really interested in visiting this place as my boyfriend is a professional photographer, but have never "trespassed" somewhere abandoned and am slightly nervous...are these places easy to get into? Sorry if this post is inappropriate, I am a new member. Love the photos by the way, you really did the place justice!


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## TeeJF (Jan 16, 2012)

Wittingham is extremely difficult to get into.


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 16, 2012)

shelh890 said:


> Hey, I am really interested in visiting this place as my boyfriend is a professional photographer, but have never "trespassed" somewhere abandoned and am slightly nervous...are these places easy to get into? Sorry if this post is inappropriate, I am a new member. Love the photos by the way, you really did the place justice!



Its a bit of a pain to get into unless you know the exact entry point and there is security on the site, ive got in twice but i know people have been unable to get in. Good luck


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## TeeJF (Jan 16, 2012)

Hey J! You do indeed know at least two people who couldn't get in!!! ;-)


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 17, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> Hey J! You do indeed know at least two people who couldn't get in!!! ;-)



Haha, that wasnt aimed at you!!


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## TeeJF (Jan 18, 2012)

Sshhhh... said:


> Haha, that wasnt aimed at you!!



Nah I know that! But I would be the first to admit that that place had us well and truly stumped and you have to admit our attempts to get in had been a regular comedy of errors up until verey recently as it were! Did we tell you about the occasion we were floundering around in a field at midnight up to our knees in cow sh*t?


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 19, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> Nah I know that! But I would be the first to admit that that place had us well and truly stumped and you have to admit our attempts to get in had been a regular comedy of errors up until verey recently as it were! Did we tell you about the occasion we were floundering around in a field at midnight up to our knees in cow sh*t?



Haha, yeah i think you did mention it! probably a good job you didnt get in at midnight, you would have ended up falling through the floorboards, erm..wait a minute, didnt that happen anyway..in daylight? haha


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## TeeJF (Jan 19, 2012)

Sshhhh... said:


> you would have ended up falling through the floorboards, erm..wait a minute, didnt that happen anyway..in daylight? haha



Ah now you come to mention it I do believe I did yes. You have to admit it was graceful though, almost as graceful as going on my ass in that mud in the field and having to be pulled back onto my feet by two slender, tiny, urbex girlies... Oh the shame!


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## Ninja Kitten (Jan 19, 2012)

great report,love this place


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## mersonwhoopie (Jan 20, 2012)

Great report! Some really nice shots there


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## T4toria (Jan 20, 2012)

Great photo's, looks fab, definitely one for the list!


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## TeeJF (Jan 20, 2012)

Do it quick because they've erected a huge fence and we saw surveyors on site - that all points to work being imminent.


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 20, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> Ah now you come to mention it I do believe I did yes. You have to admit it was graceful though, almost as graceful as going on my ass in that mud in the field and having to be pulled back onto my feet by two slender, tiny, urbex girlies... Oh the shame!



Hahaha, it was a laugh all round. Great day


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## Mars Lander (Jan 21, 2012)

Had great days here including the ones mentioned above Tj does go through floorboards more gracefully than falling in the mud.

There seems to be a lot more security presence with every visit on one failed attempt we were playing here we go around the mullberry bush literally with em.

One more visit (another guided tour) to parts still unseen then thats it for our visits here, adios Whittingham you was FAB.


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