Fairmile Asylum

[Lost Explorer]

Visited Fairmile recently with DHL, VW and petzl after hearing that building work was soon to start for new houses. A little bit of history for those interested:

Formerly known as Moulsford Asylum, Fair Mile opened its doors in 1870 as the county asylum for Berkshire.Utility extensions were later added by fellow asylum architect George Thomas Hine and this is possibly also one of the reasons the recreation hall which was originally designed by Howell appears to be unusually small for an asylum of this scale.

The institution was originally built to hold 285 Patients, however a few years later Howell was asked to expand the site to 500 beds and later Hine's expansions to the hospital provided housing to 1,400 mentally ill patients during the asylum's busiest years.

By the 1950's the hospital was bustling with new therapies such as electro-convulsive shock treatment, and intensive psycho-therapy. An isolation hospital can be spotted on the far edge of the once beautifully landscaped grounds.Workshop units dedicated work therapies were also designed to contribute to the patient's recovery, but also as a means to fund some of the hospital's additional expenses.

Closure finally came in 2003 on the grounds that the hospital was too outdated, too Victorian and consequently depressing for both staff and patients. A 30million pound replacement has been built and Fair Mile's former live-in patients were all dispersed into the community.

Thanks for looking! As usual the rest of the images can be found here

 

[klempner69]

Impressive shots..I actually prefered the outside buildings to the inside ones when we went 3 years back..is the club still open?

 

[Zotez]

Love it, enjoyed fairmile when I went although I dont think it had enough time to just sit and get more atmospheric.

 

[kevsy21]

Good work,have to check this place out before its too late.

 

[professor frink]

Nice pics fella, it's a good explore this one.

 

[Lost Explorer]

Impressive shots..I actually prefered the outside buildings to the inside ones when we went 3 years back..is the club still open?

Well we actually spoke to some locals in the pub. It has moved to the pub now. But they say it is due to move to the chapel at the hospital once the building work is complete

 

[King Al]

Great pics Lost Explorer, like the lever thing in pic 7

 

[klempner69]

Thanks for that Lost Ex..good use for the chapel I say..we joined the club with a day membership and got some good ol tales out of the few locals in there.Keep us all posted on any updates please.

 

[KooK.]

nice shots, good to some some lovely before they start building.

 

[stevejd]

Nice Pics.
Pic 13 reminds me of my student days at Rauceby, most wards had baths set up like that with the taps only operable by a key. Curtain down the middle with one bath with a patient soaking and one emptying/refilling. Usually accompanied by the observing nurses having a crafty ***.
No privacy & dignity or come to that, patient rights either. thank god those days are long gone

 

[Lost Explorer]

Nice Pics.
Pic 13 reminds me of my student days at Rauceby, most wards had baths set up like that with the taps only operable by a key. Curtain down the middle with one bath with a patient soaking and one emptying/refilling. Usually accompanied by the observing nurses having a crafty ***.
No privacy & dignity or come to that, patient rights either. thank god those days are long gone

Thank god yeh! You can really imagine how some of these places used to operate when you walk round! Shocking some of it!

Also thanks for the comments guys

 

[Krypton]

Whats the club?

 

[klempner69]

Whats the club?

It was next to the hospital,but I dont know if its still open..I am sure Nightcrawler knows.