A workhouse has been at this site near Hales since the 1760s.
In 1927, the workhouse was closed and the building converted into an institution for “mental defectives”. After 1930, control passed to Norfolk County Council and the establishment was renamed Heckingham Institution. In 1948, it became part of the National Health Service as Hales Hospital which closed in around 1990. The buildings are currently empty and awaiting redevelopment. (Copied from Workhouses website – more info and external photos can be found there).
There are plans to convert it into residential homes, but these seem to be on hold.
Outside
It was difficult to get outside photos – lots of people were round the front, so most of these are taken through the very few open windows.
Basement
First stop was the vaulted basement area.
Kitchen and Dining Room
This bit doesn’t need much explanation…
Corridors and rooms
The building was extremely well boarded up – inside was very dark. A few tiny bits of boards had fallen off giving small glimmers of light. Not much had been smashed up, but it was very empty.
Sewing room
On the way out, I popped into the “Sewing room” – this seems to be the most smashed up building on site, probably because it’s on the edge with easy access for kids.
Twitter
RSS feed
Excellent pix – I want my DSLR and I want it now!!! Okay maybe in the Autumn
Great pics there mate! Ready for redevelopment… Not sure I’d fancy living in a converted mental hospital!! As far as urban exploration goes, there’s something particularly spooky about asylums… Thanks for posting!
Hey, took a trip up there this weekend. Got into a bit of trouble as i assume the houses nearby saw us walking there, they must have called the coppers in. Got to the boiler room at the back and the escorted us off the premises. akward.
Tried exploring thease grounds but some nasty looking gypsy’s with dog’s told us to leave or else :s,,
the other one close to norwich is better
Hi,
Does anyone have any tips for this kinda thing as me and my friend are really into photography and find these places facinating.
Thanks
i’ve heard rumours of guard dogs on a night time
is this true?
My 4 x Great uncle lived here when it was a workhouse.He died in 1905 at the age of 84. I have found these pictures amazing It would be nice if they did something with it rather than destroying it.
I work as a security guard and I am 62. My mum often used to tell me the story of when her dad fell out of work and her mum, two brothers and her sister were put in the workhouse at hales, probably about 1918, where they spent about 6 months. Her Dad was not allowed to stay there and he had to sleep rough until he found a new job. The boys were separated from the girls and their mum, was also in a different place and only saw them once a week. It must have been a terrible time for them. Eventually their dad found work with tied accommodation and they were all reunited. How lovely it must have been, a great time for them to be reunited and my mum said she remembers how great it was for them all to be together again. Mum used to be scared of the dark in her later years with me and I think this was all to do with her experience in the workhouse. Sadly, Mum passed away before, amazingly I was sent to work in the very place where she was put at such a young age. I am sure if I had been able to take her back there in her later years it would have brought back lots of other experiences which she could have shared with me and I could have share with you
Mitch Ellis
I go in this place very often I am a model and a photographer but I also love urban exploring I have taken some mint pictures in their and I don’t know their Is just some thing I love about the place as creepy as it Is in their it is a great place it is just a pity the kids have got in and trashed it apart from that I go in their nearly every weekend either during the day or if I don’t have time during the day I go at night and it is really interesting at night
heyy, pretty neat place , my dad worked there until it shut down in the 80′s/90′s? its a brilliant place i took a look around about 5 years ago with him and my mum (she worked at the hospital opposite until is closed recently) and it was brilliant , they still had the straight suites and other interesting items laying about i revisited it recently with some mates but unfortunately the people that live near by hurled abuse at us until we left , but i would love to get some pictures in there when i get my camera
Loving the pics. Anyone been recently? Cheers.