North Wales Hospital

Coordinates: 53°10′32″N 3°25′08″W / 53.175495°N 3.418976°W / 53.175495; -3.418976

The North Wales Hospital building in 1994

The North Wales Hospital (locally known as Denbigh Mental or Denbigh Asylum)[1] is a Grade II listed building. Designed by architect Thomas Fulljames, building started in 1844 and completed in 1848. Once a hospital for people with psychiatric illnesses, at its maximum capacity it could house 200 patients. It is located in Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales.

History

Designed by architect Thomas Fulljames to originally accommodate between 60 and 200 patients,[2] the hospital originally had its own farm and gasworks. Planned for closure by Enoch Powell during the 1960s, it was closed in sections from 1991 to 1995.[3]

In popular culture

On 25–31 October 2008, the satellite and cable channel Living TV presented a week of live broadcasts from the by then derelict North Wales Hospital under the title The Village of the Damned as part of the paranormal series Most Haunted.

Present

On 22 November 2008, during work to renovate the building site and convert it to apartments and residential properties, the building caught fire; it was later confirmed that the main hall of the hospital was destroyed. Arson was suspected.[4]

Currently on the buildings at risk register, The 2006 planning permission has lapsed. In 2011 the building was at risk of collapsing and no action was taken by the owners after an urgent works notice was issued, Denbighshire Council had no choice but to carry out repairs on the building which reached £939,000.[5] In 2013, Denbighshire Council voted to press ahead with a compulsory purchase order on the building. A three week Public Inquiry on the challenge to the CPO by the owner completed on 20 March 2015. A new application for planning permission has been submitted by the Princes Regeneration Trust and would be implemented by the North Wales Building Preservation Trust once the CPO is confirmed and the site has been transferred.

References

  1. Elle Dunn (2008), Denbigh County Asylum
  2. B. G. Carne, Thomas Fulljames, 1808-74: Surveyor, Architect, and Civil Engineer, Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, Vol. 113 (1995), pp.7-20
  3. Evening Leader (2008-10-06), "Denbigh's Victorian asylum ready for demolition"
  4. Kelly Fenna (2008-11-25). "Denbigh hospital fire puts luxury homes on hold". The Daily Post. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
  5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-18861625

External links

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