A Union workhouse was built in 1836 at the east side of Thorpe Road in Melton Mowbray. It was designed by Charles Dyer and adopted an elongated H-plan layout, rather than one of radial layouts more popular at the time. An infirmary designed by RW Johnson was erected at the east of the workhouse in 1869-70. At the centre were a surgery. kitchen, and nurse's quarters. Male and female patients had separate entrance to each side. A vagrants' block was located at the south of the workhouse. It contained work cells for stone-breaking at the southern side. The cells walls contained outlet grids (now bricked up) through which were placed the small pieces of broken stone.
Later becoming St Mary's Hospital, the original building closed around 2009 but is in good condition still. I spotted the vagrants cells whille working nearby last summer and finally managed to check the site out in the November. It turned out to be a pretty decent place, pretty empty but worth a mooch, my favourite bit still being the vagrants cells. More recently it seems other people spotted the place, and soon there was damage occuring and people getting caught on site numerous times. Was told the other day that it was being boarded up, but not been near to see for myself.
Later becoming St Mary's Hospital, the original building closed around 2009 but is in good condition still. I spotted the vagrants cells whille working nearby last summer and finally managed to check the site out in the November. It turned out to be a pretty decent place, pretty empty but worth a mooch, my favourite bit still being the vagrants cells. More recently it seems other people spotted the place, and soon there was damage occuring and people getting caught on site numerous times. Was told the other day that it was being boarded up, but not been near to see for myself.
