Abandoned Asylum Hospital. Thorpe St Andrew. Norwich, Norfolk.

#Abandoned #Asylum #Norwich
Built in around 1881 on the site of a cricket ground and known as St. Andrews Asylum Annexe these buildings were part of a separate auxiliary asylum for the main Asylum which was several hundred yards to the south of this site which can still be seen in it's entirety, although now converted into residential properties.
The buildings were to be of ‘somewhat plain, simple and comparatively cheap construction’, later described as ‘a sort of go-between the Asylum and the Workhouse’.
Designed by the architects Cornish and Gaymer, they were modelled on Metropolitan Asylums Board institutions at Leavesden and Caterham. They comprised a two-storey ‘H’ shape with large and rather barn-like male and female wards linked, or rather separated, by an administrative cross-section, behind which lay a single storey complex of kitchens and staff rooms.
Costing £33,920, they accommodated 250 patients, two and a half times the original capacity. ‘Chronic lunatics, imbeciles and idiots’ were placed under the care of Hills’ assistant, who became resident medical officer, a head female attendant and a relatively modest staff of attendants and nurses.
Closed in 1998 along with the majority of these type of institutions it was used as offices until it's final closure in 2007. Most of the building was demolished in 2013 ready for development but it still sits in it's current derelict state.
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All the best Em and Stu 😊

[@suzyhazelwood9942]

My grandmother had a long stay in this hospital back in the early 1950s... several years. She never said much about it, but didn't say anything negative either. She was one to have a good grumble about the negative experiences of her life, so I'm sure if it had been bad we would have heard all about it! She made a good recovery from her major breakdown and was reunited with her kids in their late teens in 1958... became a grandmother seven times and a great grandmother six times... moved to London, Cambridge and lastly back to Norfolk having had a good life for many years. She died at a grand age in her 90s and was buried in a cemetery in Norwich. So I guess she must have been one of their success stories. I remember reading in the local papers about it closing in the 90s. I always find these places sad and creepy... it would be great if we could just drop back in time and see how it all really was. Thanks for the information, I didn't know that much about it.😎

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

As far as we know it wasn't a bad place....the bit that's left is only the admin block and some other bit....we are glad your grandparent didn't have a negative experience...we really appreciate your comments and thank you for watching 🙂

[@damian-795]

A beautiful building, as long as they were kind and the food was good, I would not mind staying there at all 🙂🙂

[@frankbadger9881]

Thanks for this. It's a world away from me up in Yorkshire and somewhere I'm not likely to get around to visiting. The choice of music, by the way, is fantastic

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks Frank, glad you liked the video and music. Sadly it burnt down a couple of years ago and has now been completely demolished, such a shame as it was once a lovely structure dispite it's previous history.

[@Uksoapfan]

Lovely video. I know someone who lives in a converted apartment in the south wing of the old Thorpe St Andrew Hospital. Also I remember some tied cottages on the Yarmouth Road near Broadland Business Park which were pulled down about 15 years ago, along with a chapel at the end of the cottages, on the corner of Green Lane, Postwick/Thorpe St Andrew border.

[@igotnewlegs]

Interesting video, thanks. My grandmother had a couple of spells here, and in fact died while locked up in 1968, aged 59

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

That's really sad to know that sorry we brought up a feeling really unhappy 🙁

[@igotnewlegs]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu no worries. That was quite long before I was born. It's interesting to see the place now though and also get an idea of what it must have been like

[@SarahJane-u8j]

This is an interesting video. Both my grandparents worked here till they retired in 1983.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

It's surprising how many people we hear from with relatives whom either worked or spent time here.. always interesting to read people's history and memories.. Thanks for taking the time to watch and give us a comment 😊👍

[@BEACHLIFE78]

Such an impresive building thanks for sharing the history of the place 👍

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks for watching, its a fascinating building with an interesting history 😀

[@robnewman6101]

Wow. Interesting.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks for watching Rob, it's history is really quite interesting 👍

[@robnewman6101]

You're welcome.

[@7ANGLIA]

THIS IS AN INTERESTING TALK YOU HAVE GIVIN ON THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING,ENJOYED THIS VIDEO,THANKS

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks, always so much history behind places like these it can be difficult to decide which bits to talk about in our videos.. Thanks for watching as always 😊👍

[@LordMuck]

So many of these types of exploration vids are just a bunch of overgrown kids breaking in to places for content. This however was a really interesting video, well made, very well narrated and full of information 😎👏

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed us sharing some of history of this place.. to be honest we'd taken a little look inside years ago when one of the boards had been removed and I could never understand people's fascination with getting inside as there's really not much worth looking at anymore.. On the outside it was still a beautiful building with plenty of interesting history to be told, thats what interested us more. Thanks for watching and commenting 😊👍

[@anthonydefreitas6006]

Cool building, It reminds me of a main line train station. 👍

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

We are looking into some train staions soon 😊

[@MrVxrman]

This was an interesting video guys so I have subscribed 🤝🏻 All the best and keep up the great work. 🙂🍻🥂👍🏻

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you very much welcome to our channel 😀

[@roseogrady8785]

Interesting..thank you.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks Rose.. glad u found it interesting 🙂

[@raymondgill9796]

As always interesting and informative. Cheers Ray

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks Ray, glad you like it 👍

[@HauntedandAbandonedNorfolk]

Great background history of the place - pleased it’s still there though a bit dilapidated 😊

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you very much 👍👍😊😊

[@PoshcatsCamping]

Excellent video. Sad that these buildings are all disappearing 🙂 Trev

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you very much 😊

[@RODPIKERDRONESUK]

Great video and footage very nice 👍

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you for watching, always appreciated 😊

[@benhikescamps]

A very interesting and sad history to this place. Nice video and well documented both. Many thanks for sharing with us. Ben :-)

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks Ben these places need to be documented 😊

[@simonthorne4778]

Hi Em and Stu,thank you for the great drone footage and really interesting commentary thanks to the research you must of done on this now sadly crumbling building.I had a similar derelict mental asylum site near where I used to live in Kent years ago but they converted it all into luxury apartments! Simon 👍

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks Simon for your lovely feedback, glad you enjoyed the video, there's so much more interesting history to this place it was difficult to choose what bits to put into the video but hopefully we explained it well enough. Thanks again for watching 😊👍

[@marioncooper5473]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu look

[@TheFirefly71]

OMG imagine all that mental energy the people living in those LUXURY apartments will pick up whether they like it or not. Similar to building on a graveyard in lived in such a building for years I often was visited by the form of a woman that looked like she was from medieval times 😟

[@sarahallen4326]

Great video, thanks guys, very interesting.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you very much 👍😊

[@robertfreeman2608]

Wow very impressive building all the ground around it would imagine they will tear it down and build on the land more homes I would imagine good vid thanks guys. 👍

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

80% of it was demolished a few years back, the remaining part i believe is grade 2 listed but not sure what they'll be ablento do with it right in the middle of a business park!

[@Haydenssphotography]

Love the information you gave and love the drone footage as well!

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you very much for watching really appreciate it 👍😊

[@autumnmatthews3179]

My nan spent some time in the building on the other side of the road, until she died in 1988. I've wandered round the outside of this building a few times before. It seems weird that the rest of it was demolished when nothing has been done to the area

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

I do often wonder why this part wasn't turned into home like the site to the south was I'm sure it could have been.. sadly its all gone following the fire last year so no doubt a large industrial unit will replace it soon 😔

[@BeyondthePoint]

Once again seriously good production and filming :)

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you, we are slowly trying to find ways to improve the quality of our content and trying different ideas to see what works well and what doesn't so the channel is abit of a mixed bag atm lol. 😁

[@BeyondthePoint]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu Seems to get better with every vid! Nothing wrong with the a bit of variety, I think it’s needed to work out what you prefer most

[@kevphillips02]

Very proffessional films. Excellent.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you its apart of our more professional rang of videos we are trying to do 😊

[@kevphillips02]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu These are as good if not better than most on KZbin.. Someone has a talent?

[@kevphillips02]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu Do you know if all of severals hospital in Colchester has been demolished yet?

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Yer that's been gone for a few years now 😔

[@dylanjoy4413]

Quite interesting this came on my recommended as I was here the other day wondering if the big print building next to it is been accessed

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Hi Dylan, I know the large building next door was unoccupied when we were last there but couldn't tell u anything else about it I'm afraid.. Thanks for watching 😊

[@seancoombetalkingwithspiri7926]

Hi em and stu :) on seeing your last video there me and my partner also went to. I am into the paranormal and got some amazing communication there with photos to, what made us go there was your 1st video you took some pictures of the rooms and in one pic you captured a very clear orb and when we went there in the same room we captured it also as well more to as well as other things to. We are planning to go back there again at the other building :) But wanted to say thanks for letting us no about this building with so much history :)

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thanks for watching Sean, its an amazing building with a really interesting history. Glad u had a successful visit there too. Thanks for your kind message 😊

[@seancoombetalkingwithspiri7926]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu no worries I really like your explores and been watching most of your others and would love to go to the other places also :)

[@CherylBeatrice-j4x]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@clairepaterson2374]

Fascinating thank you for sharing! I wonder who bought it? I hope they keep the admin area and inject life back in.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thank you very much 😊

[@sodiumlights]

just a few minutes down the road. Used to deliver morning papers to both sites.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thats interesting, we'd have loved to have seen it back in the day before it was converted or demolished. Thanks for watching and commenting 😊

[@danielcarty3109]

This building was practical given away by NSFT (Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust) all it seems to do now is attract unwanted attention I think a-lot of people forget that this sight still house patients just behind (NORVIC NOW KNOWN AS NORTHSIDE HOUSE) But the thing that people forget is when this hospital was running the conditions for patients were barbaric to which mental health services can't do no more. people lost their lives their and were admitted just because they had a baby out of wed lock so-on. The one positive was that this hospital helped serve in world war 1 before recommencing as a mental hospital. nothing positive remains here on this sight and for me i thing the area needs pulling down and a new chapter of life can start here. it was also about 2years ago a young local mum of three sadly lost her live here to a murder where the murderer was a member of society not a patient. and this must be hard for that lady's family.

[@petesmodelcarcustoms584]

It's very much a shame that this hospital closed as care in the community has been a total Tory cockup. I worked in this hospital for a few years and it had great facilities for the patients. My ward was in the right hand wing,which has been demolished. Thanks for showing and best wishes from jolly old Norfolkshire 👍😎Pete 🤓

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

I can very much agree with you regarding care in the community, in my opinion it really wasn't a better option as most have been forgotten about and lost in the system in understaffed and under trained care homes and facilities where they are not given the time or attention they need due to so many cut backs.. I speak from experience working in such a place and its so frustrating to see.. 😔

[@petesmodelcarcustoms584]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu Thank you for the reply. The main thing I see about psychiatric hospitals is graphic Victorian horror stories and dark tales of work houses,but even then,they may have been better than starving on the street,being deported to the colonies or hung for some stupid crime. When these hospital housed ptsd cases from WWI and WWII is never discussed. I met people who'd been there for most of their lives but would have been incapable of looking after themselves properly in the outside world

[@chriscollins9791]

Another great video. Is that a new drone your using or did you manage to find and save your one?

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

This was filmed a few weeks ago before the drone ended up in the canal.. luckily we do have a spare one so can continue filming whilst the water logged drone is being fixed. 😁

[@deerushbrook713]

I work at the secure unit that was built behind the old hospital

[@lilme7052]

My great aunt was in there a few times.

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Its surprising how many people we get telling us about family members they have that spent time there at some point..

[@AceofSpades18835]

I’ve been there and tbh I hope they don’t knock it down because they would be destroying history

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Really would be a shame if they did demolish it, let's hope they managed to find a new use for it where it will be restored into something beautiful like most others have been. Thanks for watching 😊

[@Paranormaltorch]

Ah u went back :) although a mess it’s a beauty ain’t it

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Yeah we really wanted to return with the drone as its a beautiful building from the outside even though there's not much left.. Thanks for watching again 🙂

[@h1dripp435]

I visited here today, 21,07,22 wasn’t to much to it.. but we encountered a strange guy with a dog that spoke to us about kids and young women.. and didn’t want to show his face, also tried hiding away from us and acted weird with his hands in his pocket.. he sent us to a place that was around the corner we went there and a shady looking car kept go round the area and slowing down.. just wanted to warn everyone and say watch out as this guy kept repeating about young women and children

[@h1dripp435]

He was also talking about watching people… and talking about nonces and child molesters and was just a very weird guy please be careful everyone

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Yer we have heard some stories about that fella you described but as far as we know he's never done anything 🙂

[@mrha9py802]

can you easily explore this building publicly from the outside like you did?

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Hi yes but sadly it has had a fire and now it's unrecognizable.

[@mrha9py802]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu sad times

[@helenthorne8451]

Hi I guess it should be knocked down due to what happened in these places and not an ideal place to have flats put in there I hope they just get rid of it completely xx

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

It can't be knocked down it's listed but not all where bad but still a reminder of a bad time 😐

[@Benslife96]

Still surprised they havent knocked this down turned it into housing 🤣 especially as its in half decent location

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Yeah they'll be a mysterious fire before you know it! Still find it a fascinating structure to look at.

[@thechimpyone]

Small update.. the building caught fire a few weeks ago under suspicious circumstances. 🤔

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Often the case when it comes to listing buildings here in Norfolk 😒 I believe its all now a pile of rubble!

[@terryabbey4209]

My father worked at the hospital until he was called up during WW 2

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Must have been an interesting place to work back in the day, we often hear from people who worked there up until the 90's.. Shame its all gone now along with its history 😔

[@washedmoral972]

i broke into this today

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Thats unusual.. usually there's a window frame wide open.. so no need to break into it.. 🤔

[@washedmoral972]

@@ExploringWithEmAndStu oh ok

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Might I add that I'm a little surprised at your willingness to publicly admit that you'd committed a criminal offence.. If you did indeed actually break into the building due to it having been sealed up at the time of your visit it is of course classed as criminal damage which is something we would never condone or participate in ourselves.. But I'm sure you probably already know all this..