- Joined
- Aug 15, 2014
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 3
After my initial introduction on OS I have been severely lacking in effort getting any reports up (apologies!) so though I might as well start with one of the "classics"!
History
Everybody knows the history of Sevs by now but for parity’s sake…
Severalls Hospital in Colchester, Essex, United Kingdom was a psychiatric hospital built in 1910 to the design of architect Frank Whitmore. It opened in May 1913.
The 300-acre site housed some 2000 patients and was based on the "Echelon plan" - a specific arrangement of wards, offices and services within easy reach of each other by a network of interconnecting corridors. This meant that staff were able to operate around the site without the need to go outside in bad weather. Unlike modern British hospitals, patients in Severalls were separated according to their gender. Villas were constructed around the main hospital building as accommodation blocks between 1910 and 1935. Most of the buildings are in the Queen Anne style, with few architectural embellishments, typical of the Edwardian period. The most ornate buildings are the Administration Building, Larch House and Severalls House (originally the Medical Superintendent's residence)
The hospital closed as a psychiatric hospital in the early 1990s following the closure of other psychiatric institutions. However, a small section remained open until 20 March 1997 for the treatment of elderly patients suffering from the effects of serious stroke, etc., as a temporary building for nearby Colchester General Hospital which was in the process of building an entire new building for these patients. A few of the satellite villas as of 2013 are still operational as research facilities on the edge of the site. This includes "Chestnut Villa" (originally Children's Villa), which provides laboratory services, and "Willow House" (originally Male Acute Ward), and Severalls House (originally the Medical Superintendent's residence). "Rivendell", a more modern building is still in use at the entrance to the site. Apart from Chestnut Villa, all remaining Buildings still in use are owned and run by North Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (NEPFT).
Since 1997 the remaining structures have changed little. Architecturally, the site remains an excellent example of a specific asylum plan. However, the buildings have suffered greatly from vandalism. In 2005 the main hall was subjected to an arson attack and in 2007 the charred building was demolished for safety reasons. The five boilers were removed from the Central Boiler House in 2007.
In 2008, the sale of the hospital site, including its extensive grounds, collapsed due to the slow-down in the building industry.
The Explore
Visited on a clear and chilly morning with a regular exploring buddy. We arrived before sunrise to scout out our entry. Straight away we had a couple of close shaves with a van patrolling the external perimeter and then the finishing night shift passing us very close by just as we reached the fence.
After biding our time, sitting tight for a short while and with daylight fast approaching we finally hit the fence and were surprisingly up and over the tackle mashing palisade quicker than expected and made our way inside.
Now I know every man and his dog has had a go at Sevs and it has a reputation of being a bit a “tourist†site these days but I can now see why it’s so popular. The place is vast, with all those never ending corridors, buildings galore and everything you would expect from your typical asylum. Seeing the place unfold in front of us just as the sun came up, beautifully lit and cloaked in the early morning mist really was a sight to behold. We managed to spend just over four hours inside and covered best part of the east side of the site.
As we began making our way towards the western side our luck finally ran out. Upon trying to squeeze through a tight door into one of the corridors who should I see standing at the end of the corridor facing the other way but security. Wedged in the door I couldn’t enter the corridor for obvious reasons and it would have made too much noise trying to exit back out so the best I could do was hide in the doorway and hope our high-viz adorned friend carried on in the other direction. Sadly it wasn’t to be and with a polite “Hello†we were busted. Michael had claimed another scalp.
Credit to Michael, he was extremely professional but polite and it was a pleasure to finally meet the legend. After the usual formalities he kindly showed us the way out.
Overall it was an enjoyable day at a beautiful site. I never did get to visit this gift shop that everybody talks about though…
My photos don't do it justice but the light on the cobwebs covered in morning dew was amazing
The obligatory morgue shot
My exploring buddy
The fateful door where our day ended . Didn't realise I had shot it earlier in the day until reviewing my pics!
Hope you enjoyed
History
Everybody knows the history of Sevs by now but for parity’s sake…
Severalls Hospital in Colchester, Essex, United Kingdom was a psychiatric hospital built in 1910 to the design of architect Frank Whitmore. It opened in May 1913.
The 300-acre site housed some 2000 patients and was based on the "Echelon plan" - a specific arrangement of wards, offices and services within easy reach of each other by a network of interconnecting corridors. This meant that staff were able to operate around the site without the need to go outside in bad weather. Unlike modern British hospitals, patients in Severalls were separated according to their gender. Villas were constructed around the main hospital building as accommodation blocks between 1910 and 1935. Most of the buildings are in the Queen Anne style, with few architectural embellishments, typical of the Edwardian period. The most ornate buildings are the Administration Building, Larch House and Severalls House (originally the Medical Superintendent's residence)
The hospital closed as a psychiatric hospital in the early 1990s following the closure of other psychiatric institutions. However, a small section remained open until 20 March 1997 for the treatment of elderly patients suffering from the effects of serious stroke, etc., as a temporary building for nearby Colchester General Hospital which was in the process of building an entire new building for these patients. A few of the satellite villas as of 2013 are still operational as research facilities on the edge of the site. This includes "Chestnut Villa" (originally Children's Villa), which provides laboratory services, and "Willow House" (originally Male Acute Ward), and Severalls House (originally the Medical Superintendent's residence). "Rivendell", a more modern building is still in use at the entrance to the site. Apart from Chestnut Villa, all remaining Buildings still in use are owned and run by North Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (NEPFT).
Since 1997 the remaining structures have changed little. Architecturally, the site remains an excellent example of a specific asylum plan. However, the buildings have suffered greatly from vandalism. In 2005 the main hall was subjected to an arson attack and in 2007 the charred building was demolished for safety reasons. The five boilers were removed from the Central Boiler House in 2007.
In 2008, the sale of the hospital site, including its extensive grounds, collapsed due to the slow-down in the building industry.
The Explore
Visited on a clear and chilly morning with a regular exploring buddy. We arrived before sunrise to scout out our entry. Straight away we had a couple of close shaves with a van patrolling the external perimeter and then the finishing night shift passing us very close by just as we reached the fence.
After biding our time, sitting tight for a short while and with daylight fast approaching we finally hit the fence and were surprisingly up and over the tackle mashing palisade quicker than expected and made our way inside.
Now I know every man and his dog has had a go at Sevs and it has a reputation of being a bit a “tourist†site these days but I can now see why it’s so popular. The place is vast, with all those never ending corridors, buildings galore and everything you would expect from your typical asylum. Seeing the place unfold in front of us just as the sun came up, beautifully lit and cloaked in the early morning mist really was a sight to behold. We managed to spend just over four hours inside and covered best part of the east side of the site.
As we began making our way towards the western side our luck finally ran out. Upon trying to squeeze through a tight door into one of the corridors who should I see standing at the end of the corridor facing the other way but security. Wedged in the door I couldn’t enter the corridor for obvious reasons and it would have made too much noise trying to exit back out so the best I could do was hide in the doorway and hope our high-viz adorned friend carried on in the other direction. Sadly it wasn’t to be and with a polite “Hello†we were busted. Michael had claimed another scalp.
Credit to Michael, he was extremely professional but polite and it was a pleasure to finally meet the legend. After the usual formalities he kindly showed us the way out.
Overall it was an enjoyable day at a beautiful site. I never did get to visit this gift shop that everybody talks about though…
My photos don't do it justice but the light on the cobwebs covered in morning dew was amazing
The obligatory morgue shot
My exploring buddy
The fateful door where our day ended
. Didn't realise I had shot it earlier in the day until reviewing my pics!
Hope you enjoyed
thanks for posting. Your photo may not do it justice but those cobwebs still look pretty cool 
