Barrow Gurney Hospital closed in 2006 and had the dubious honour of being the dirtiest hospital in the country. I can’t even begin to write an introduction that details this location’s history. If you are interested, please check out this excellent write up on Forlorn Britain.
Barrow Hospital occupies a huge, foresty site. Unfortunately time was against us, so we only saw a few buildings…
Southside
The main building we explored was “Southside” which contained a large number of wards and other rooms. There was also a small chapel of rest and body fridge.
The Southside building was one of the first to close, and is in the worst condition. Corridors are flooded. Windows smashed up. Rooves are falling in. etc..
And there was a wonderfully complete small dentist room. This now houses some bats.
Dundry Villa
Dundry Villa was home to Barrow’s acute unit for mentally ill patients.
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Reminds me of the hospital in the movie “Jacobs Ladder” Spooky :-0
what a terrible waste
What about the woodlands
Isaiah Hall, my Dad, served in 2 Wars. Beginning of 2nd was stationed at this Naval Hospital, rank of Chief Petty Officer, Sick Berth. Escorted men home by train when they were discharged from the care in this Hospital. This is all I know. Extremely interesting to me. Stumbled on this Webb site by accident.
Dear Mrs Riley
My great uncle died here in january 1941 and i’m looking for details of his time there. Do you have any photos, or details of the hospital at this time?
thank you and best wishes
Rachael
Just read the entry re the hospital in ww2. My grandfather also served at this hospital as a petty officer in ww2. His name was Irvy Ellis, which is a very unusual first name. I am afraid that I don’t know any more than that
My Dad, Norman MacKenzie, was also a Petty Officer here in December 1940 and I have a photograph of him with dozens of staff at a Christmas Party there.
Dear Norma,
Please see my request to Mrs Riley above!!
best wishes thank you, rachael
u should see it now
Have had the chance to stay the night here back in 2003 and I can assure you i didn’t get any sleep.
I wish i had taken a camera.
I visited this place on saturday – in its a pretty bad state now and has largely been demolished though theres still plenty to see. The dental equipment, morgue and hydrotherapy baths are still there and lots and lots of bathrooms. Seems to permanent security at teh front gate (plus dog) so go in the back way!
sadly this hospital was derelict long before the patients moved to the new Callington Road site. In particular, Dundry Villa – the one featured in the pictures was closed quite a few years before the hospital officially closed. At one time a piece of the ceiling fell on a patient and was featured on the BBC. I have lots of pictures taken from the official closing day.
I worked here as an auxiliary nurse after leaving uni and not knowing what I wanted to do as a career. I had to hold the patients down while they were given ECT. It must have been, let’s see, 1983 or 84. I worked on the acute female admissions ward, and a girl from my school was a patient, very depressed, and escaped out of the window. I had to drive around the lanes of Barrow Gurney in my old 2 CV looking for her. She kept taking overdoses. The buildings were okay then, they hadn’t been neglected, but then Thatcher hadn’t had the chance to bleed the NHS dry yet. So very very weird seeing these now. Like some Victorian asylum. Dentist chair super eerie. Thanks.
i was a patient here in 1998 residing in dundry villa at first then transfered to john carey (i think that was the name!) and again in 1999 residing in blagdon villa, although i was quite ill at the time i had good memories of my stays and to see how it is now is quite upsetting shame. just to add i have made a full “recovery” of my shizophrenia thanks to clozaril!
I am looking at the use of this hospital during WWII. Could anyone help?
I was a student nurse here in 1978 and loved it. I still think that closing this type of hospital was a bad idea. They just needed reforming. More carefully selected patients and more humane treatments would have been the answer. I feel sorry when I see such a beautiful building in such a state .It holds happy memories for me.
I was in Barrow in 1980 as a patient, I have some horrifying memories. I am currntly trying to get hold of my mental health records fron that time. Were they destroyed or have they been stored somewhere? How much would it cost to retrieve them if they are amongst thousands of records and are all the records still there? Who do I phone in Bristol to see if they can retrive my records. If anyone can help please phone 01530270494.
@David .
I was a Student Nurse at Barrow Hospital from 2000 to 2003 , also did some bank nursing shifts around the hospital site in particular East Villa (rehab) and Brockley House (locked Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit)
Your files are in archive somewhere and would of never been thrown away .. I think they are kept for 100 years or even more .. With the recent freedom of information act you are entitled to access your medical records ..
Barrow Hospital was under the management of Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TRUST — Any files would of been transferred to the new Callington Road Hospital or their HQ in Trowbridge ..
Below is the website link of contact details to access medical records from the Old Barrow Hospital Site .. Hope this helps ..
http://www.awp.nhs.uk/templates/xform____293.aspx
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My nan was a patient here after her son died, can anyone tell me an easy way to get in? Recently been to the Sand Hill Hospital in Taunton, that was very eery but incredible.
I have been here quite a few time’s eerie at night but worth it. dougwollacott@hotmail.co.uk e-mail me and will gladly go again if anyone interested