Cane Hill Asylum

Type	Country	Date	On the Map	Status	Rating
Hospital	United Kingdom	2008-09-28		Demolished	****

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VIP Hospital

Its wide corridors spread out in space and time. For 120 years, Cane hill contained the insanity of its residents.

Up to 2,000 patients at the same time. Following its creation in 1882, it saw the treatment of its patients evolve. From a collective mental home to solitary cells. From cold showers to chemical straightjackets. From pious gatherings to art therapy. This hospital saw it all and was recognized. At first rate.

The names of eminent patients were noted in the registers: faithful to the house maxim, Mrs Chaplin, mother, Mr Bowie, brother, thus came here to soothe their troubled minds. Difficul to always be trendy...

2008 vs 2011

Decline

The size of the site and its large number of buildings finally became overwhelming. One by one the patients left for more modern establishments. The centre closed its doors in the 1990s.

For a decade, it was abandoned. During this period, it had to cope with flood and fire. Was it bad located, or was it bad luck? Attempts of reclassification or conversion have failed repeatedly. There is no future for this piece of English history.

In the end the wrecking ball will get the better of Cane Hill*.

Les bulldozers

Making of

We launched our sleeping bags over the evil looking fence and we were in.

1am, Saturday night. We set about finding a place to sleep in the women's ward, a little room that's hard to reach in order to avoid the patrolling guards...

3am: Its impossible to sleep. Going out for night photos, poor quality because of the constant game of hide and seek we have to play.

6am: awoke to the sound of a bulldozer and pneumatic drill. The building next door collapses.

We spent the day on tiptoes, the demolition continuing even on a Sunday.

As we exited, we were caught by a security guard and his dogs. Thankfully we were on the outside of the fence.

We told him to fuck off, and we were gone.

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* Text and photos taken from the book "Forbidden Places: Exploring our abandoned heritage"