Hortham Idiot Colony

Opened: 1933

Architect: ?

Patients:

Closed: 1993

This was one of the locations that is on my ever growing list of to-do's. Hearing that the contractors had moved in it was decided to visit ASAP. I met up with markr and Krela who knows the site well and headed down.

When we arrived we found that not only had the contractors moved in but demolition work had already started. The demolition seemed to be rather random taking down one building but leaving another one next to it virtually untouched.

The nurses block looked like it was the next to go all of the internal doors and all the windows having been removed. Engineering or what was left of it was interesting as most of the external structure was gone but the chimney and the big pipes remained. One outlying building has an asbestos decontamination tent inside it which made us think about the buildings we had just been waling around!

Going further into the site revealed buildings that have been left untouched by the contractors, most of the windows in the site have gone a result of no security measures over the 10 years or so that is has been abandoned, several buildings have even had the tiles taken off the roof, which have probably been sold.

Still standing are the wards a school block and mini toilets, the kitchens, the hospital block and most interestingly the Main Hall. Compared to most Main Halls it really is a small one but it is truly unique with its murals on the back was and the sign language sighs around the walls, the stage has long since gone but below the stage are various papers relating to the hospital.

All around the site trees are fenced off as these are due to be protected, it does seem a shame that most of the building will be going to make way for houses that resemble small boxes!

Hortham Tour Gallery