Napsbury Asylum Remains - Herts - Jan 2013
Sadly
the Asylum has long since been converted but the 1920's nurse’s block
for some reason just never got done. I remember seeing reports on this
place way back in 2007 (back in the days when I was a youngster) and
always meant to go as it was quite local but shortly after access was
lost. Fast forward a few years and a few recent reports show it’s again
becomes do-able.
It's a bit of a wreck but does still retain a few nice features if you
dig under the surface, in a sort of functional, institutional, 1920's
architectual kind of way. It looks like a start at some form of conversion was
attempted but then suddenly stopped, for no apparent reason. Sadly, the
temporary roof put on some years back has long since worn out so most of
the top floors are pretty much open to the elements meaning the
remaining roof structure has gone, which wasn't so much fun as it was
chucking it down when I went. As I pottered about, I couldn't help
wondering that conversion to anything other than student accommodation
might well be a bit of a problem as most of the rooms are small, single
sized,
with access off a single, long central corridor. So maybe one of the
reasons it still lies derelict is that there aren't any university's
near enough to take advantage.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a good site to cut your UE teeth on and
you’re into peelly paint, light and shadows, Silent Hill kind of thing
then I strongly recommended checking this place out, it's really quite
photogenic with its muted pastel colours and is big enough to make a
decent explore. Otherwise, worth dropping by if you’re passing.
So, welcome to Napsbury...
Step this way...
...into the ground floor corridor...
...where a wonder will lead you the stairs, through the remains a rather fine
door frame...
...and up the stairs...doors banging in the wind...
...and at the top of the stairs...
...and the view down the corridor...
...more stairs...
...lead into the largest room in the block room, probably a lounge of some sort,
with the remains of a decent bay window...
...sadly with roof missing much water damage is going on...these where some of
the few remaining original doors...
...and the half-moon window in this room could not be photographed due to the
huge amount of scaffold that pointlessly holds up the non-existent roof...
...down more corridors...
...and more stairs beckon you on...
...stick your head into one of the endless rooms to snap a detail of the
countless broken light switches.
Then back down stairs to check out an annex, which contained the laundry, with
one of the most curious cloths dryers I've ever seen...
...and a quick look into the dining hall. This must have once been a really nice
place to eat with its faux hammer beam roof and dormer windows, now totally
gone.
A quick poke in the kitchen and some ancillary rooms but sadly everything is
just too ruined to be worth taking pictures of. Or are they? Best go there and
see for yourself...
