# Mid Wales Counties Mental Hospital



## Philb (May 9, 2007)

The Mid Wales Hospital Talgarth, formally the Mid Wales Counties Mental Hospital, also known as the Mid Wales Counties of Breconshire and Radnorshire Asylum was built in 1906 in the Echelon style for 1,000 patients, closed in 1994 and sold in 1999.

It's also an astonishing place, because it's virtually completely intact, has no graffiti, no broken windows and hasn't been trashed. There is some evidence of reclaimation, but not a great deal. A lot of material is also still sitting around in rooms. While some paintwork is peeling it's all in a very sound condition at the moment. I've taken a poke around the web and found very few references to it so far, other than factual information, and no internal shots. 

I took a lot of photographs which are in a Flickr group that also includes images taken of Denbigh at http://www.flickr.com/groups/[email protected]/

Phil


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## Pagan (May 9, 2007)

Wow! Did you do this recently? Is it still do-able?


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## Philb (May 9, 2007)

We were there on Sunday. It's very quiet, although I suspect that some buildings are being used - there was some sort of carpentery/joiners shop that seems to have taken up residence there... a few cars around and we did see some guys going into one of the buildings. No idea what they're doing there, but as far as we could see - yeah, it's easy enough. Just stay out of their way, basically!

Phil.


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## lilli (May 9, 2007)

Philb;12788; said:


> I've taken a poke around the web and found very few references to it so far, other than factual information, and no internal shots. .........



Didn't look to hard then?   http://urbandesertion.squarespace.com/mid-wales/ I went April (I think) last year .... Mind out for the owner he's not the friendliest of people


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## Pete (May 9, 2007)

Myself and Sam also went here, back in the summer of 2005. At that time there was no internal access, much of it seemed inhabited or in office use and a football team were meeting up in the car park. No demolition had taken place at that time either. External images can be found here

I've heard from people who said that Talgarth suffered considerably from the closure of the hospital, which given the size of the hospital, and that of the town, was a major employer. Salt was further rubbed in the wounds of local people when the site was sold for a meagre £250,000 for business park development - a public enquiry somehow found no wrong-doing had occurred!?! The business park had been intended to alleviate unemployment caused by the hospital but never really has happened - hence the odd mix of occupiers.

I believe what you have listed as nurses' block was in fact a female villa (not an admission hospital - as was stated on my site). The staff block stands to the rear of the recreation hall.

Pete


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## lilli (May 9, 2007)

Pete C;12802; said:


> I believe what you have listed as nurses' block was in fact a female villa (not an admission hospital - as was stated on my site). The staff block stands to the rear of the recreation hall.
> 
> Pete



Thank you, interesting to know, after we had a wander about we went to speak to some of the people in the industrial units, one man was very friendly and walked us round the outside of the buildings and it was him who mentioned to us that the building was the nurses block!


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## Pete (May 9, 2007)

lillimouse;12803; said:


> Thank you, interesting to know, after we had a wander about we went to speak to some of the people in the industrial units, one man was very friendly and walked us round the outside of the buildings and it was him who mentioned to us that the building was the nurses block!



I imagine it could have been adapted for that purpose? Its layout indicates patient use with sanitary towers and the fact you can see right through in some windows - nurse's homes typically comprise of a multitude of rooms off of access corridors. I also my info from a reliable source, a former employee of the hospital.

Do you know how much of the main building is actually acccessible?

Pete


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## lilli (May 9, 2007)

Pete C;12810; said:


> I imagine it could have been adapted for that purpose? Its layout indicates patient use with sanitary towers and the fact you can see right through in some windows - nurse's homes typically comprise of a multitude of rooms off of access corridors. I also my info from a reliable source, a former employee of the hospital.
> 
> Do you know how much of the main building is actually acccessible?
> 
> Pete


 
When I went it was a little hurried as we parked outside admin  Silly I know but we were quite tired after a long drive! But I think we saw prob about 1/3 including the main hall (which has two projection booths!) a canteen and a few wards, as wall as the outside of admin as it is still in use, and the exterior of the boiler house.

Judging by Philb's pics a bit more is now accessible as he seems to have seen some of the service areas  which we missed.

Looking at your pics of the mortuary it looks like the bakery company were still there when you visited? According to our (non to accurate) friend on site, the mortuary slab at that time was a sandwich prep area!!


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## Pete (May 9, 2007)

lillimouse;12814; said:


> Looking at your pics of the mortuary it looks like the bakery company were still there when you visited? According to our (non to accurate) friend on site, the mortuary slab at that time was a sandwich prep area!!



cheers for the summary, it's nice to have a rough idea of the current status since i saw it.

I hope that chap that you met was wrong about the slab, whether it was sterile or not, it is a disgusting thought. Errrgh.

Pete


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## djvu (May 10, 2007)

excellant bit of stuff there , I noticed almost every bit of a asylum what has a stage or hall always seems to tbe place what gets torched by some scroats 


Would be a good visit next time im in the welsh side of town, wil comment on the other pictures of the hillsides it always captures me wheni visit


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## Potter (May 16, 2007)

Fantastic stuff. I love how much has been left behind. I love that old phone.


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