Visit Date Jun 2005 / May 2006
Countess of Chester / Deva
Architect William Cole Junior
Opened 1829
Patients 90 in 1840, 1600 in the 1970s
Closed Part of the original building still open parts closed in 1996/7
Other Psychiatric Annexe built in 1912
The Countess of Chester has had many former names including The Cheshire County Asylum, Cheshire County Mental Hospital, Upton Mental Hospital, Deva Mental Hospital and once also had another Hospital called Moston within it's grounds which has long since been flattened.
In 1983 a new (general) hospital was created on the site, you can tell which
one it is just look for the dull grey building off to the left of the complex as you drive in!
The psychiatric annexe was one of the last to close within the original complex finally shutting in 2004
Now the original 1829 building is in use by the Health authority as an admin block for various departments.
Since my fist visit round the grounds in May 2005 some blocks have been demolished to make way for a new impatient centre.
The annexe is probably the most impressive part of the complex and the name does not do it justice it really is huge, the Main Hall is amazing although the stage has been removed.
A lot of features remain in the annexe including the ECT room which must have had quite a lot of traffic coming trough as there were 2 recovery rooms!!
The older part of the hospital seems to have housed an art exhibition in 1998 after it closed as there are remains of a few pieces of art which bizarrely include a seclusion room which has been painted in black and yellow hazard colours..... alarming to say the least.