Immortalowl
21-01-2010, 01:24 AM
Finding our planned morning explore dressed up with fresh boarding and padlocks, we headed up to Epsom for a wander instead.
First stop St Ebbas...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/1-IMG_3353.jpg
St Ebbas opened in 1904 as the Ewell Epileptic Colony and closed in the mid 90s. All that's due to be demolished pretty much has been, and the remaining buildings are almost lost behind the stacked up pallets of bricks, building materials and heavy machinery.
On our walk to find a way into the derelict part, we got accosted by a patient from one of the live villas who grabbed hold of my arm and wouldn’t let me go. He had severe learning difficulties and was probably used to being led around in this way, hugging the arm of his nurse or carer, and he became quite upset when we tried to detach him.
After a few minutes we spied a nurse over by one of the villas and I led my new pal back over there.
“Donald, let the man go! Let him go!”
Waving goodbye to Donald, we cracked on and got into the offices...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/2-STEoffice.jpg
I think this was one of the main hall pianos, which is now awaiting its fate in the workshops at the base of the tower.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/3-STEpiano.jpg
Teddy crossed the Colombians. Bad move.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/4-r-STEteddy.jpg
Next stop the tower, this view looking across to the water tower of Horton asylum.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/5-STEhortonview.jpg
Finding the other remaining buildings secure we walked round the front, peered in at security surfing the net on his laptop, and decided to leave. As we walked off round a corner we heard a meek sounding “Hey!” from the guard whose sixth sense had finally kicked in. We went through the motions and he escorted us out the VIP exit.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/13STEend.jpg
Next stop Horton...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/6-hortonpano3.jpg
Larger pics here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/immortalowl/4229188839/sizes/l/)
Only the tower, chapel and superintendent's house remain unconverted. The tower had a planning notice on it saying it’s due to undergo a 13-storey extension to make four 2 bedroom apartments.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/7-hortontower.jpg
Superintendent’s house. Why they left this to rot I don’t know...maybe there’s more money cramming people into crappy apartments?
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/8-IMG_3393.jpg
It still boasted a few unbroken stained glass windows and a mosaic floor that would scrub up really nice...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/9-IMG_3386.jpg
Prize for the dodgiest floor of the day...this was really about to come down.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/10-r-hortonfloor.jpg
Last stop of the day, West Park. The asylum was covered with fresh boarding and security signs, but a well worn path in the tall grass leading from a disabled access point revealed just how popular this place had been last summer & autumn.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/12-WPsink-peely.jpg
Just a couple of shots from here, as you’ve seen it all before.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/11-WPstaircase-admin.jpg
First stop St Ebbas...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/1-IMG_3353.jpg
St Ebbas opened in 1904 as the Ewell Epileptic Colony and closed in the mid 90s. All that's due to be demolished pretty much has been, and the remaining buildings are almost lost behind the stacked up pallets of bricks, building materials and heavy machinery.
On our walk to find a way into the derelict part, we got accosted by a patient from one of the live villas who grabbed hold of my arm and wouldn’t let me go. He had severe learning difficulties and was probably used to being led around in this way, hugging the arm of his nurse or carer, and he became quite upset when we tried to detach him.
After a few minutes we spied a nurse over by one of the villas and I led my new pal back over there.
“Donald, let the man go! Let him go!”
Waving goodbye to Donald, we cracked on and got into the offices...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/2-STEoffice.jpg
I think this was one of the main hall pianos, which is now awaiting its fate in the workshops at the base of the tower.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/3-STEpiano.jpg
Teddy crossed the Colombians. Bad move.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/4-r-STEteddy.jpg
Next stop the tower, this view looking across to the water tower of Horton asylum.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/5-STEhortonview.jpg
Finding the other remaining buildings secure we walked round the front, peered in at security surfing the net on his laptop, and decided to leave. As we walked off round a corner we heard a meek sounding “Hey!” from the guard whose sixth sense had finally kicked in. We went through the motions and he escorted us out the VIP exit.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/13STEend.jpg
Next stop Horton...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/6-hortonpano3.jpg
Larger pics here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/immortalowl/4229188839/sizes/l/)
Only the tower, chapel and superintendent's house remain unconverted. The tower had a planning notice on it saying it’s due to undergo a 13-storey extension to make four 2 bedroom apartments.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/7-hortontower.jpg
Superintendent’s house. Why they left this to rot I don’t know...maybe there’s more money cramming people into crappy apartments?
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/8-IMG_3393.jpg
It still boasted a few unbroken stained glass windows and a mosaic floor that would scrub up really nice...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/9-IMG_3386.jpg
Prize for the dodgiest floor of the day...this was really about to come down.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/10-r-hortonfloor.jpg
Last stop of the day, West Park. The asylum was covered with fresh boarding and security signs, but a well worn path in the tall grass leading from a disabled access point revealed just how popular this place had been last summer & autumn.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/12-WPsink-peely.jpg
Just a couple of shots from here, as you’ve seen it all before.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x305/From_The_Pits/11-WPstaircase-admin.jpg