Plans for the asylum were announced in 1876. The buildings were to be of ‘somewhat plain, simple and comparatively cheap construction’, later described as ‘a sort of go-between the Asylum and the Workhouse’.
Designed by the architects Cornish and Gaymer, they were modelled on Metropolitan Asylums Board institutions at Leavesden and Caterham. They comprised a two-storey ‘H’ shape with large and rather barn-like male and female wards linked, or rather separated, by an administrative cross-section, behind which lay a single storey complex of kitchens and staff rooms.
Costing £33,920, they accommodated 250 patients, two and a half times the original capacity.
This explore was quite quick as asbestos warnings were everywhere. We didn't go to the upper floors and there was some undesirables around the grounds. As we left and walked over to the cricket ground and pavilion the police turned up and drove around the perimeter.
Last photo is a warning of the dangers and will never let the dog off his lead again! Was funny once we had got him back up. Luckily my partner was tall enough to drop down and get back up again. Yogi the urbexing dog was fine..