free hit counter
Barrow Guerney Hospital - Bristol - September 2013 | Oblivion State Urban Exploration

Post a thread

Post a thread in one of the forums

Browse the forums

Browse threads and contribute to reports

Contact Staff

Contact the team

Barrow Guerney Hospital - Bristol - September 2013

mrtoby

Full Member
OS Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
55
Reaction score
1
Points
8
Location
Derby
I found myself in Bristol for work this week so one evening I decided to leave my hotel and go for a quick walk around this place.

Despite the workmen still on site doing something to the front building and the lurkers in one part of the building banging about it was pretty mellow.

Plenty of peeley paint, corridor and stair UE porno to keep even the most perverted happy. The site is massive and although I tried to get round most of it it seems from looking at others reports i might have missed some buildings. definately worth popping in if youre in the area.

A bit of history.....

"Barrow Hospital (sometimes referred to as Barrow Gurney Hospital) was a psychiatric hospital in Barrow Gurney, Somerset

The hospital was designed by Sir George Oatley of Bristol to the then-innovative colony plan based on detached 'villas' centred around a central cluster of service buildings. The plan called for 25 villas to house 1,200 patients, treatment centres for local authority and private patients, a chapel, recreation hall, laundry and central kitchens.

The buildings were austerely constructed of red brick with pantiled mansard roofs and were situated so as to give a sense of community and privacy as well as to take advantage of the wooded surroundings which were retained and enhanced by tree-thinning and landscaping.

Construction began in 1934 and although the hospital was not officially opened until 3rd May 1939, Barrow Hospital received its first patients in May 1938 with the complex still only half-built. It was intended that the rest of the planned buildings should be gradually added over the following years as funds allowed, but the outbreak of war in September 1939 halted all work on site and the architect's full vision was never realised.

At the outbreak of the Second World War the hospital was commandeered by the Royal Navy and became the Royal Naval Auxiliary Hospital, Barrow Gurney. The hospital treated seamen who had been injured during conflicts or who were suffering from psychological distress, brought in through the nearby Port of Bristol In 1940, the daily average number of patients under treatment was 356 and the medical and nursing staff numbered 215. The Naval Hospital was decommissioned and returned to civilian use in 1946.

In 1960 the hospital's population reached a peak of 453. At this time it was predicted that new community-based care initiatives would lead to a decline in patient numbers to 200 by 1975 but in the event this target was not met. However, there was a noticeable decline in numbers during the 1970s and some residential wards were replaced with out-patient and community support services.

In 2003 the Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust announced its intention to close Barrow Hospital by 2008. By 2004 only three residential wards remained open. A report published by Mind in 2003 found that on the issue of the hospital's closure, opinion among patients was divided with groups of patients having strong feelings both for and against. In 2005 a national survey of hospital cleanliness named Barrow as the dirtiest in Britain after inspectors found cigarette burns on floors, graffiti on walls, urine stains around a toilet and stains from bodily fluids on the bottom of a hoist chair. The report, combined with the collapse of part of the ceiling onto the head of a patient the same year saw the closure plan brought forward and the last ward closed the following year.

After closure, the hospital attracted a variety of unofficial visitors including metal thieves, vandals and graffiti artists who contributed to the deterioration of the buildings."

a few pictures from my visit....

9736617144_ace191544f_c.jpg


9733367247_af19bda845_c.jpg


9736591222_d6c01f44fe_c.jpg


9736587126_18c2a58f4a_c.jpg


9736583498_bd1b4ea020_c.jpg


9733343219_b5db6113f8_c.jpg


9736565614_838b75abaf_c.jpg


9736562678_09f8c188fb_c.jpg


9733320959_e82be8d745_c.jpg


More on my Flickr here.

 
Last edited by a moderator:

Lara

Full Member
OS Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Messages
2,157
Reaction score
43
Points
48
That's some cracking shots of the place there!! Quality share :)

 

skeleton key

Full Member
OS Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
4,213
Reaction score
31
Points
48
Great write up Tobes and a really nice set

Thanks for the share

(y)

 

Wevsky

The Pototao King
OS Full member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
2,411
Reaction score
92
Points
48
Location
Planet Thanet
Nice shots of the place mate,never did see much of this due to police helicopter ;)

 

Perjury Saint

OS Member
OS Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
1,779
Reaction score
146
Points
63
Thought this one had been knocked down!! Good to see its still standing and bostin shots as always... :)

 

Bungal

Oblivion State Member
OS Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2013
Messages
110
Reaction score
0
Points
16
great report and snaps, that clown don't look to happy

 

Stussy

Full Member
OS Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
1,797
Reaction score
76
Points
48
Location
Bumhole Alley
Looks a lovely building, cracking explore by the looks of it, thanks for sharing (y)

 
Top