Visit Date Dec 2005
Crossley Hospital East
Opened: 31 March 1905
Closed: 1988 (closed fully 1993)
This hospital was built in a rural location for the treatment of TB. Work started in 1903 and was partly funded by Sir William Crossley who ran a large motor and carpet business in Manchester.
The site consisted of the large ornate main building, a nurses block, a machinery area, cottages a 
superintendents house and a mortuary.
Patients who entered the buildings were expected to be in the hospital for 2+ 
years and were encouraged to take walks and 'enjoy' the air of the 33 acre site.
The use of antibiotics in the 1940's meant that patients no longer had to spend such a large amount of time in hospital and patients number declined. In 1948 with the advent of the NHS the hospital was transferred to the Liverpool health authority.
Not much is known about it's use after this time but from planning reports it seems to have been used fro long stay patients, mostly elderly and in the last few years it was used as a 
residential school which would explain the Kingswood college sign above the door!
On my visit in Early Dec of 2005 with John and Spook it seemed like the site was getting ready for redevelopment as the are a lot of spray marking round the site. The main Hospital and the nurses block are still in quite a good condition (only a few floors which looked dodgy). But the Chapel Main Hall Area is very badly damaged by water. Rain was pouring into this part of the hospital and ferns were growing everywhere!
The old machinery buildings have seen better days the whole side of one building had collapsed. While exploring the main part John noticed that the roof joists had rotten away and it really is only a matter of time 
before they collapse too!
I have been told that there is a mortuary on site but with time getting late and the weather getting worse we headed for home.