Headley Court

[BikinGlynn]

Headley Court was an Elizabethan farm house bought by the Cunliffe family, from Tyrrell's Wood, Leatherhead. They later sold this farm house and built in 1899 the imposing mansion at the centre of Headley Court to the north, namely under Lord Cunliffe, who was Chairman of the Bank of England. Its architect was Edward Warren. During World War II, it was used as the Headquarters for the VII Corps and then for the Canadian Corps. Since the war, it has been used as a Royal Air Force and Joint Services medical rehabilitation centre.

Purchased after that war with money from the Royal Air Force Pilots and Crews Fund, a public collection as a tribute to the deeds, including the Battle of Britain efforts of the RAF, Headley Court lost its social club focus to expand its medical and rehabilitation credentials and become the Defence Services Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), which aims to return all those service personnel injured or seriously ill to full fitness.

In July 2014, the Minister of Defence, Philip Hammond, announced that the services provided by Headley Court would be transferred to a new centre to be developed at Stanford Hall. The opening of the new Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre by the Duke of Cambridge took place in June 2018. The centre at Headley Court ceased operations in September 2018 and the site was bought by Angle Property in May 2019. They are currently working on plans to redevelop the site including substantial new housing replacing many of the existing ancillary buildings.

The Explore
An unplanned visit we just happened to be passing but after a bit of an undignified entrance to the site avoiding secca in his van we spent a good few hours here.
On entering the main block we immediately set of an alarm but this was ringing throughout our whole visit & no one responded.
Never made it in the old hall which is a shame, but the obvious access people were using was well & truly blocked up!

Thanks For Looking

 

[Sam Haltin]

A nice report with a good write up. Nice building.

 

[BikinGlynn]

A nice report with a good write up. Nice building.

Thanks not sure if they are keeping any of it but would be criminal if not, the main pool / gym are brand new!

 

[Fluffy]

Just awesome man. I absolutely love untouched, nearly new places like this. Great work.

 

[Mikeymutt]

Nicely done mate. A little bit clean for me this

 

[BikinGlynn]

Nicely done mate. A little bit clean for me this

Yeah it felt a wierd one to be walking round if im honest!

 

[Riverside Male]

Spent a few weeks there getting put back together, did a great job but it was brutal at times. I would love to see it again

 

[verdigris]

Spent a few weeks there getting put back together, did a great job but it was brutal at times. I would love to see it again

respect, sir

 

[gtwibell]

Didn't Help For Heroes get involved in this place? I had an idea they may have actually run it for a time? I certainly remember doing fund-raising events for them during 2008-2012 and I'm sure some of the proceeds went to Headley Court.

 

[Hayman]

respect, sir

At first I wondered what you meant by "respect, sir". I think I have got your meaning. The large-font verbose mantras on the walls are in stark contrast with the two-word motto - in Latin, of course - that is part of the Centre's badge. "Per mutua" seems intended to mean, "Through changes", or "Through mutuality", but "mutua" is an adjective, not a noun. And what look to be two chained manacles have me thinking back to the asylums that have featured on the forum recently. It's good to know that the keys for "Stationary No 6 room 3" were not moving around.

 

[verdigris]

At first I wondered what you meant by "respect, sir". I think I have got your meaning. The large-font verbose mantras on the walls are in stark contrast with the two-word motto - in Latin, of course - that is part of the Centre's badge. "Per mutua" seems intended to mean, "Through changes", or "Through mutuality", but "mutua" is an adjective, not a noun. And what look to be two chained manacles have me thinking back to the asylums that have featured on the forum recently. It's good to know that the keys for "Stationary No 6 room 3" were not moving around.

thanks Hayman, interesting comment ! actually I was replying to Riverside Male, who said he went to Headley Court to get put back together again, and it was brutal. So I assumed - perhaps wrongly - that he was in the armed forces and had been wounded. I'd guess for some service men and women who have been injured, the rehab is gruelling. But I might be very wrong - anyway, respect to all the patients and staff who were at Headley Court.

 

[Spannamoo]

My ex spent a year or so for rehabilitation following an injury in the forces and I know they had a lot of involvement with Help for Heroes

 

[Hayman]

thanks Hayman, interesting comment ! actually I was replying to Riverside Male, who said he went to Headley Court to get put back together again, and it was brutal. So I assumed - perhaps wrongly - that he was in the armed forces and had been wounded. I'd guess for some service men and women who have been injured, the rehab is gruelling. But I might be very wrong - anyway, respect to all the patients and staff who were at Headley Court.

Since I am now 81, I have seen a lot of changes in 'mental health' treatment. And in the expectations of our armed forces. I don't know when Riverside Male was in the forces, or what branch or unit he was in, or where he served and what he experienced. I took it from what he wrote that he had been in action and had suffered mentally from what he'd had to do or had seen.

That he said "it was brutal at times" but the unit "did a great job" suggests the staff got things just about right. When I was having physiotherapy (as a civilian) after having my right humerus broken in an accident with a horse, one of the nurses was quite 'brutal' when it came to getting me to perform painful exercises. But I needed to do what she wanted to get back full use of my arm.

Although a regular soldier for six years, my most 'brutal' experiences were during basic training, thanks to what now might be called 'sadistic' NCOs. But now, as then, armed forces personnel still have the same jobs to do. That the mental side
of going to war is seen today as requiring post-combat help is very much better than the truly brutal treatment - often punishment - meted out to sufferers in the past. Hence places such as Headley Court.

 

[verdigris]

Since I am now 81, I have seen a lot of changes in 'mental health' treatment. And in the expectations of our armed forces. I don't know when Riverside Male was in the forces, or what branch or unit he was in, or where he served and what he experienced. I took it from what he wrote that he had been in action and had suffered mentally from what he'd had to do or had seen.

That he said "it was brutal at times" but the unit "did a great job" suggests the staff got things just about right. When I was having physiotherapy (as a civilian) after having my right humerus broken in an accident with a horse, one of the nurses was quite 'brutal' when it came to getting me to perform painful exercises. But I needed to do what she wanted to get back full use of my arm.

Although a regular soldier for six years, my most 'brutal' experiences were during basic training, thanks to what now might be called 'sadistic' NCOs. But now, as then, armed forces personnel still have the same jobs to do. That the mental side
of going to war is seen today as requiring post-combat help is very much better than the truly brutal treatment - often punishment - meted out to sufferers in the past. Hence places such as Headley Court.

thank you Hayman. I too have seen a lot of changes in mental health treatment, having worked in some of the abandoned asylums which have featured on this site.

 

[Hayman]

thank you Hayman. I too have seen a lot of changes in mental health treatment, having worked in some of the abandoned asylums which have featured on this site.

Since you have seen mental health treatment 'from the inside', do you think all the changes are for the better? The methods of treatment have changed, but human nature has not, and probably never will.

 

[HistoryBuff]

Awesome find. It's a shame if left to rot. Nice report.

 

[smartengineer]

Headley Court was an Elizabethan farm house bought by the Cunliffe family, from Tyrrell's Wood, Leatherhead. They later sold this farm house and built in 1899 the imposing mansion at the centre of Headley Court to the north, namely under Lord Cunliffe, who was Chairman of the Bank of England. Its architect was Edward Warren. During World War II, it was used as the Headquarters for the VII Corps and then for the Canadian Corps. Since the war, it has been used as a Royal Air Force and Joint Services medical rehabilitation centre.

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Purchased after that war with money from the Royal Air Force Pilots and Crews Fund, a public collection as a tribute to the deeds, including the Battle of Britain efforts of the RAF, Headley Court lost its social club focus to expand its medical and rehabilitation credentials and become the Defence Services Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), which aims to return all those service personnel injured or seriously ill to full fitness.

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In July 2014, the Minister of Defence, Philip Hammond, announced that the services provided by Headley Court would be transferred to a new centre to be developed at Stanford Hall. The opening of the new Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre by the Duke of Cambridge took place in June 2018. The centre at Headley Court ceased operations in September 2018 and the site was bought by Angle Property in May 2019. They are currently working on plans to redevelop the site including substantial new housing replacing many of the existing ancillary buildings.

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The Explore
An unplanned visit we just happened to be passing but after a bit of an undignified entrance to the site avoiding secca in his van we spent a good few hours here.
On entering the main block we immediately set of an alarm but this was ringing throughout our whole visit & no one responded.
Never made it in the old hall which is a shame, but the obvious access people were using was well & truly blocked up!

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Thanks For Looking

 

[smartengineer]

The facilities look fresh, clean and very modern. I wonder why it was thought they needed to relocate the service?

 

[Billythefish68]

I remember Prince Philip visit , I was in the RAF and he visited the mess , he was giving out commendations one to a friend of mine who put out a fire in the staff accommodation/ Naafi. Awesome place , brilliant photos and a great trip down memory lane

 

[verdigris]

Since you have seen mental health treatment 'from the inside', do you think all the changes are for the better? The methods of treatment have changed, but human nature has not, and probably never will.

sorry Hayman, I've only just caught up with your question. No I don't think all the changes are for the better. The wholesale closure of the psychiatric hospitals, (because 'community care' is alleged to be better and cheaper )along with closure of many other NHS hospitals such as the original 'voluntary ' ones, local cottage hospitals, rehab wards, long-stay facilities, specialist units etc etc - has resulted in a massive bed loss. I believe we have fewer hospital beds per head of population than many European countries. I'm sad to see a great facility such as Headley Court being replaced by housing (what else) Sorry to have a rant about this.