North Wales Hospital

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

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 Full James, 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 Full James to originally accommodate between 60 and 200 patients, 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 2002.[2]

In popular culture

Now derelict, on October 31, 2008, Living TV's Most Haunted did a live series, The Village of the Damned on location in the North Wales Hospital which spanned over the course of a week.[3] The producers of the show were criticised by residents of Denbigh for slurs against the town and the hospital.[3]

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 the 20th 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. ↑ Evening Leader (2008-10-06), "Denbigh's Victorian asylum ready for demolition"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kelly Fenna (2008-10-27). "Denbigh fury at 'Village of the Damned' slur". The Daily Post. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
  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

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