Ventnor Hospital Tunnel, Isle of Wight - Oct 07

[Urban Mole]

Ok, heres another place Ive visited a few times now, with various poeple.
My last visit was with Timtom, Pinky, Chrispy.
Not alot of history with the actual tunnel, but loads with the site its on.
Its on the site of the old TB hospital, and was one of the biggest in the south.
Apparently they thought that the sea air would help cure people with TB.

The garden site was at one time a Royal National Hospital for diseases of the chest and for 80 years it was a major factor in Isle of Wight life at Ventnor. But with the discovery of an effective treatment for tuberculosis the hospital became redundant and soon deteriorated beyond repair. It was demolished in 1969.

This was what the hospital looked like, before being demo'd, and it was nearly 1/2 a mile long

And now its just a massive garden

Heres what it was used for as stated in the Ventnor Hospital book by E.F.Laidlaw;

And an ariel view;

Ok on with the pics;

The big steel gate they have installed.

The original wooden gate at the start.

There were a couple of these drain holes in the walls.

Along the tunnel, near the end(note the cart tracks still exist).

A bit of light painting 8)

Looking out to sea with the gate at the end.

Again, out to see, past the gate.

Looking back in.

Tunnel celing, close up.

The padlock on the end gate.

And another classic spider shot.


Timtom has a few good pics too, Im sure he wont mind adding them to this thread.

 

[Urban Mole]

Heres a cool one Tim took of me;

As seen in my avatar

 

[boxerheaven]

nice report cool photos that padlock looks massive !!!

 

[BigLoada]

Thats an interesting bit of history. How long is the tunnel? It looks a fair length according to that aerial view.

 

[Urban Mole]

Yes its quite a lenth, it must take about 4/5 mins to walk, then your on the cliff edge

Apparently, Ive not revisited it lately, but the entrance witht he wooden door is now sealed and its also turned into a flower display or something.
I bet there isnt a plaque or anything mentioning the history