Immediately prior to demolition, Cane Hill’s condition varied hugely. Several wards were crumbling; two had been destroyed by fire, some had decay evident but were otherwise stable, and other parts of the hospital were in a precarious state.
This section looks to explore the condition of each ward, working alphabetically through the hospital’s wards
Andrewes/Alleyn.
Various items remain, including journals, items of furniture and wall decorations. Some metal wardrobes/cabinets have been toppled. The ward has otherwise been cleared, and has suffered no notable vandalism or arson.
Single rooms on the ground floor
BJP journals – laundry chute (both first floor)
First floor Dormitory
Browning/Blake
As the last ward to close, Browning/Blake’s beds were left in the hospital. This ward was something of a time capsule. It looks as if nothing was done to clear out the furniture or other items. There was some interference, but this consisted mainly of moving items around the room
Beds in the female dormitory
Piano at the entrance of the male dormitory – Decaying beds
First Floor Dayroom
Kitchen, and curtains on ground floor
Chaucer/Cruden
Destroyed by fire around 2002, C block was a burnt out shell when I visited.
Viewed from Browning/Blake
Donne/Dickens
This ward was rather crumbly, with pigeons haven taken up residence on the top floor. There were various items left lying around, including a monopoly board. Several signs were left in situ, including the television room.
Corridor with cells.
Television lounge sign, a bed remains in situ.
Ellis
Ellis is a dark ward, boards set against the groundfloor windows to deter intruders.
The dayroom on the ground floor of Ellis
Faraday
Faraday had various purposes, it is marked on maps as “Faraday Shelter”, and the nursing school was located here at one point as well. For this reason there are several items relating to education on the top floor, including chalkboards, desks, projection screens and medical journals. There are also parts of a medical skeleton in this part. On the middle floor there is a ward with green partitions, and a couple of beds. The ground floor has various medical papers scattered around, and there are also beds stacked up
Dormitory on first floor
Dividers in dormitory, Desk in school of nursing
Training room in School of Nursing
Paperwork scattered on the ground floor
Guy
Guy ward was in a similar state to Ellis, dark and moody. There are lots of beds scattered about on the first floor.
The first floor of Guy
Beds on the first floor, walkway to cells at rear of ward
Ground floor Dayroom
Hill/Harvard/Hogarth
The first of the 1988 extensions, H block is a sorry state. The floors are unstable and damp, but the building has been cleared
Johnson/Jenner
Built to the same design as Andrewes/Alleyn, This building is in a similar condition, with very few items left remaining
King/Keller/Keats
This building is in a better condition than H Block, built to the same design. The ground floor has rotten floors, but the middle and top floors are sturdy and dry.
Domestic Block
At the rear of the Hospital was the domestic’s block, accomodation for the cleaners and kitchen staff. This was condemned in the 1970s, and although several beds remain, the block is in a sorry condition. There is grafitti in parts.
The Domestic block from the top floor of K block
The Entrance to the block, Grafitti in one of the rooms
An example of a domestic’s room
Lidgett/Lettsom
Notable for the presence of a pool table on the first floor and a baby grand piano on the ground floor, L block is in poor condition, starting with the collapsed floor at the entrance. Baths remain in situ, and the presence of much natural decay suggests it was a rather early closure.
The pool table on the first floor
The Piano on the ground floor, the corridor between the ground floor ward and dayroom
Mapother
I did not gain access to Mapother ward, due to it being amongst the first to be demolished. I believe there to have been several items left in situ. This is the last ward on the Female side, the remaining were on the Male side, which closed first.