Female Wards

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

BrowningBeds in the female dormitory

piano beds browning
Piano at the entrance of the male dormitory – Decaying beds

dayroombFirst Floor Dayroom

kitchen blake
Kitchen, and curtains on ground floor

Chaucer/Cruden

Destroyed by fire around 2002, C block was a burnt out shell when I visited.

chaucerViewed 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.

donneCorridor with cells.

tv mirror
Television lounge sign, a bed remains in situ.

Ellis

Ellis is a dark ward, boards set against the groundfloor windows to deter intruders.

ellisThe 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

faradayDormitory on first floor

fara schhol
Dividers in dormitory, Desk in school of nursing

schoolTraining room in School of Nursing

f2Paperwork 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.

guyThe first floor of Guy

guy2 guy3
Beds on the first floor, walkway to cells at rear of ward

guy4
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

IMG_3948 _MG_8812

Johnson/Jenner

Built to the same design as Andrewes/Alleyn, This building is in a similar condition, with very few items left remaining

_MG_8885

_MG_8883 _MG_8888

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.

L1000476

_MG_9104 IMG_3864

_MG_8665

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.

domThe Domestic block from the top floor of K block

dom2 domgraf
The Entrance to the block, Grafitti in one of the rooms

dom4
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.

LLThe pool table on the first floor

piano2 ll2
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.

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