St Joseph's Orphanage/Hospital - Preston 05-06-10

[bluephoenixnwo]

St Joseph's was opened in 1872 as a refuge for catholic girls in the city centre of Preston, Lancashire. The orphanage is tucked away in the backstreets of the busy town centre and was run by the Sisters of Charity for our Lady Mother of Mercy.

The site closed as an orphanage in 1954 and was more recently use as a convalescent home with an onsite hospital including two operating theatres. Despite having received a Grade II listing, property developers are seeking to 'redevelop' the entire complex by demolishing most of the standing buildings which would to be replaced with high rise apartments.

Religious paraphernalia clutters storage rooms along with ancient medical equipment and discarded personal belongings. Years of abandonment and decay have settled into the building's aged walls, the chapel however seems oblivious to the fragility and decay that has crept into the buildings that surround it.

Some areas of the hospital appeared to be 'un-touched' by vandals and urban explorers alike. The buildings showed no obvious signs of human presence other than abandoned souvenirs brought back from various pilgrimages around the world. Old musty boxes left behind in the basements are filled with rosary beads and little plastic Madonna bottles that have become congealed with their own rancid holy water.

The small trinkets are a reminder of the faded popularity that was once commandeered by Catholicism, after all what serious catholic would leave behind a full set of Jesus trading cards!

Anyway it was a great explore, on a side note. I HATE PIGIONS!

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thanks for looking

the rest of, and some better photos can be found here

http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t146/bluephoenixnwo/St%20Josephs%2005-06-10/