Finally, my local 
When the Madhouse Act was passed in 1828, regional authorities were permitted to provide accommodation for the mentally ill in purpose built facilities. Many counties were slow to take up on this offer, content to continue with the existing and established Pauper Houses, which typically offered accomodation to around 300 patients, run as charities by local philanthropists.
The 1845 Lunatic Asylum act decreed that counties were required to provide facilites, and Oxfordshire and Berkshire agreed to share Littlemore Hospital, on the south side of Oxford. By 1867, this was no longer feasible due to the growing number of patients, and thus, the need for an asylum to serve Berkshire and the boroughs of Reading and Newbury arose.
Charles Henry Howell, architect of Brookwood, and later Cane Hill, proposed a block accomodating 285 patients. Extensions in 1877, an isolation hospital and Main Hall in 1897 by GT Hine, and further extensions by local architects in the 1930s bought the population to approximately 1400, across the main building, isolation hospital, female block and the admission ward. Borocourt Hospital, near Henley-on-Thames, was also opened in the 1930s to accomodate further patients.
The Care in the Community Act was passed in the 1980s, and with many of the insititutions in the country, Fairmile closed. However, it was a rather late closure, in 2003. Existing patients in the secure unit (the converted Isolation Hospital), were moved to an newly built unit in Reading.
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Fairmile has always been something of an enigma to me. PIRs, 360 Degree Cameras, microphones and a patrolling guard, as well as still being largely isolated have always made Fairmile an explore considered amongst the trickiest. Previous visits in March and May 2008 saw the Mortuary and the Occupational therapy unit explored, and a handful of Recce trips saw potential access but never an explore, as well as being told by security that I couldn't just wander around having picnics like I owned the place. This time though, we got lucky.
I visited with Lula, Sinnerman and Tumbles. And Yes, it was cold!
Corridor to day room on Male Side
Note the 1950s Extension.
Scratch marks in what appears to be an old door.
Main Entrance
Fairmile was all in all, a dissapointing explore. The late closure meant modernised wards, and there was a suprising amount of vandalism given the security situation. The satisfaction of finally knocking it off the list was greater than the satisfaction of the explore.
When the Madhouse Act was passed in 1828, regional authorities were permitted to provide accommodation for the mentally ill in purpose built facilities. Many counties were slow to take up on this offer, content to continue with the existing and established Pauper Houses, which typically offered accomodation to around 300 patients, run as charities by local philanthropists.
The 1845 Lunatic Asylum act decreed that counties were required to provide facilites, and Oxfordshire and Berkshire agreed to share Littlemore Hospital, on the south side of Oxford. By 1867, this was no longer feasible due to the growing number of patients, and thus, the need for an asylum to serve Berkshire and the boroughs of Reading and Newbury arose.
Charles Henry Howell, architect of Brookwood, and later Cane Hill, proposed a block accomodating 285 patients. Extensions in 1877, an isolation hospital and Main Hall in 1897 by GT Hine, and further extensions by local architects in the 1930s bought the population to approximately 1400, across the main building, isolation hospital, female block and the admission ward. Borocourt Hospital, near Henley-on-Thames, was also opened in the 1930s to accomodate further patients.
The Care in the Community Act was passed in the 1980s, and with many of the insititutions in the country, Fairmile closed. However, it was a rather late closure, in 2003. Existing patients in the secure unit (the converted Isolation Hospital), were moved to an newly built unit in Reading.
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Fairmile has always been something of an enigma to me. PIRs, 360 Degree Cameras, microphones and a patrolling guard, as well as still being largely isolated have always made Fairmile an explore considered amongst the trickiest. Previous visits in March and May 2008 saw the Mortuary and the Occupational therapy unit explored, and a handful of Recce trips saw potential access but never an explore, as well as being told by security that I couldn't just wander around having picnics like I owned the place. This time though, we got lucky.
I visited with Lula, Sinnerman and Tumbles. And Yes, it was cold!
Corridor to day room on Male Side
Scratch marks in what appears to be an old door.
Fairmile was all in all, a dissapointing explore. The late closure meant modernised wards, and there was a suprising amount of vandalism given the security situation. The satisfaction of finally knocking it off the list was greater than the satisfaction of the explore.
