# Hales and Heckingham Hospital - September 2012



## steve2109 (Sep 30, 2012)

Had this one on my list to do for a while and decided to take a look. Not seen a report for a while and was unsure if it was still standing. Upon arrival we were happy to see it still standing but not so happy to see travellers living there !! Undetered we traversed the perimeter avoiding the vests,trousers and pants hanging on a make shift washing line. we eventually found a way through the barbed wire fence, well i say we, my daughter got through with me holding it up for her but then decided its more important to answer a BBM than hold it for me as i got caught and gashed my leg !

We made our way inside and discovered a building in a worse state than St Johns at Lincoln. It has been totally trashed inside both up and downstairs and became quite dangerous in places. Trying to walk around silently is difficult due to glass everywhere, holes in floors and most of the walls lying on the floor but mostly due to my daughters phone deciding to blast out rock music for no apparent reason ! We then had an attack of the giggles and decided to leave !

All in all was a good explore and worth a look if you are in the area, just be careful.

A brief History then the pics

Hales Hospital was built by John Harris of Ipswich in 1764 as a workhouse, the Heckingham House of Industry, for up to 400 inmates at Hales. The large H-shaped building contained 83 "apartments" and included an infirmary and a house of correction. In 1766, a pest house for up to 20 "persons afflicted with the small pox or other infectious disorders" was erected at the east of the workhouse.

By 1835, the Heckingham workhouse housed 450 paupers and had gained a reputation as being the most disorderly, inefficient and corrupt of the Norfolk Hundred workhouses. In 1836, however, a group of male inmates rioted and pulled down one of the new walls and in April of the same year the workhouse was set on fire. 

In 1933 the Norfolk County Council purchased the property for use as accommodation for 120 female and 56 male patients, in compliance with the Mental Deficiency Act of 1927 which required institutional care for “mental defectives”. For the following 20 years it was known as the Heckingham Institution, changing its name in 1953 to Hales Hospital until it finally closed in 1990.


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## UE-OMJ (Sep 30, 2012)

Still looks like a good explore, and funny how bits of carpet are still intact.


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## Lucky Pants (Sep 30, 2012)

Great pictures, looks a good place, thanks for posting .


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## whitelaw (Sep 30, 2012)

Cracking shots. I do wonder, though, with all the hardship (the government tell us) the NHS is in, why there are so many deserted NHS sites, be they hospitals, or mortuaries around the country. They are clearly beyond redemption, most of them, so why are they not sold, and the money put to use IN the NHS?


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## sploradora (Oct 1, 2012)

love the report, great pics


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## prettyvacant71 (Oct 1, 2012)

looks like it was worth the pain...good job ur daughter is wiv u to keep u outa trouble!

luvly job, thanx for sharing ur little adventure!


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## SeffyboyUK (Oct 1, 2012)

Very nice, very nice all round


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## urban phantom (Oct 1, 2012)

nice work mate looks a bit trashed thanks for sharing


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## TeeJF (Oct 1, 2012)

I hope it was good rock music is all I can say!!!


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## UrbanX (Oct 1, 2012)

Nice one. There was a lot of the travelling fraternity parked up last time I went past. 
Great pics, cheers for sharing!


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## flyboys90 (Oct 2, 2012)

Nothing like a fanfare to announce ones arrival!! Superb report & photos.


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## Maddie220790 (Oct 6, 2012)

Lovely! Heard it was very difficult to get into, but you seem to have managed it wonderfully! Loving the pink room!


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## Jet48 (Oct 6, 2012)

Good pictures Thanks for history and sharing


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## Bones out (Oct 7, 2012)

Your snaps have made it look better than when I visited over a year ago??

Good work guys, those take what you likies have been there for ever with their diggs...


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## addictedmedia (Oct 21, 2012)

greta review on this place , had a visit myself with my friend from this site


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