Urbex: Lancaster Moor Hospital, aka Lancaster Asylum, Lancashire – May 2013
History
Lancaster Moor Hospital was Lancashire’s first County Lunatic Asylum. The decision to build it was taken in 1809, one year after the permissive County Asylums Act, 1808. Designed by architect Thomas Standen The hospital opened in 1816 as the ‘County Lunatic Asylum for the County Palatine of Lancaster’. The Asylum was extended in stages throughout the C19th and C20th, In 1878 the asylum acquired land on the north side of Quernmore Road and a large building known as the Annexe was designed by the architect Arnold Kershaw and opened in 1883 for the accommodation of 828 patients. The asylum was renamed Lancaster Moor Hospital under the National Health Service. The annexe and all associated buildings north of Quernmore Road had closed by 2000.
The buildings are constructed of stone; in the centre of the block over the main entrance is a clock tower about 100 feet in height, and there are smaller ones at the front extremity of each wing. The Asylum is a quadrangular building of stone construction, with a grand front, relieved by pillars of the Doric order, and at one time could hold up to 3,200 patients.
Our Visit
Visited with Ben, Beardy, Travis and Chard Remains for another great S.O’C.C. day out :D. We had a good mooch around, eye’d up the climb to the tower but sadly didn’t have the time to attempt it as the visit was cut short :). We did however find the theatre which was a pleasant find after walking the very stripped out halls and wards. There didnt appear be be any clear access to the wards on the far right of northern wing of the building but we could have missed something. The loft space was really fun along with the interior of one of the smaller towers. We did have a near miss with secca I was just setting up the tripod for a shot of a really nice bay window when he appeared from the right of the window. We made eye contact before I bolted, alerted the group and we escaped without any further bother :).
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Related posts:
Urbex: Mitchell’s of Lancaster Brewery and Malthouse – May 2013
Urbex: The Lincolnshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum – May 2013 (revisit) Part 2
Urbex: The Lincolnshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum – May 2013 (revisit) Part 1
Urbex: St Georges Asylum aka Northumberland County Pauper Lunatic Asylum aka Ivy Hospital, Morpeth – October 2013
Urbex: Severalls Lunatic Asylum, Colchester – October 2013 (revisit 2)
Urbex: Rossendale General Hospital, Rossendale, Lancashire – February 2013 (revisit)
Urbex: Lancaster Moor Hospital, aka Lancaster Asylum, Lancashire – November 2013 (Revisit)
Urbex: RCH Asylum, Scotland, United Kingdom – June 2013
Urbex: Rossendale General Hospital, Lancashire – January 2013
Urbex: St Josephs Orphanage, Preston, Lancashire – May 2013 Part 1
This took me back to when I did a stint at the Moor during my general nurse training. I have also played volley ball in the gymnasium a few times. Great site
Thanks for the comment Lynne, I went to University in Lancaster so I was alway familiar with this site… I alway wondered what it looked like inside… very grand, I hope they do a good job with the refurb
Great photos. I worked at Ridge Lea for ten years but am now working in the community. Looking forward to seeing more photos.
Thank you very much Sue, I’ll be sure to keep the photos coming 🙂
PM
my gran died in the lancaster asylum age 39, apparently just before she died she was sat in a chair rocking back and forth laughing, how sad eh? i now work in a psychiatric unit and i see the same thing every shift things havnt change with the brain and its strange workings.
Wow thats so sad Judith, My mother also works in care homes and has plenty of stories about deterioration of the mind… it must be awful!
All the best
PM
i live in Morecambe not far from moor hospital and always wondered what it was and after reading this I really want to go have a look around I love history but I don’t think I could it looks so creepy I’d be to scared lol and I feel sorry for patients that were in here and how they died rip to them .
My uncle worked at this place
I trained here in the mid 1980’s & have not seen the inside since I left. Such a shame it is now so neglected, however your photos have re-ignited such happy memories of a hospital, thhankat for many, was a their home. Thank you for sharing & I look forward to seeing more from you.
Brilliant photos,ive never seen inside before.I did notice a woman standing against a wall in one pic and a mans face on a post in another pic?
I was brought up on Daisy Bank in sight of the moor hospital. Our father worked in the hospital gardens
Worked with brothers and a few mates in the roof spaces. Removing mountains of debris . Mid 1970’s. A truly horrible place. Revisited a few days ago to fit furnishings to a penthouse apartment. Raining in in several places throughout the whole building. More like the walls are crying.