The Mount Hospital - in a heartbeat

Описание: The Mount Hospital in Bishopstoke, Hampshire closed a few years back in a clamour of local annoyance following years of campaigning to keep it open. It was a popular smaller hospital which mostly focused on rehabilitation for elderly patients but had various other outpatients' departments.

The history of the site is interesting too. It started as smallish private estate with the first house built by a wealthy farmer in 1844. It was later bought by a Captain Hargreaves in the 1870s. When he died it was bought by a Mr Cotton who rebuilt it in 1893. His imposing Victorian mansion replete with impressive tower forms the heart of the site. It originally had impressive gardens too suitable for a house of its standing with an arboretum, formal gardens and a Victorian water garden. In 1927 it was sold to Hampshire County Council who converted it into a hospital reusing the original Victorian house, as well as building a range of other buildings including another impressive art deco-ish ward building. It was only when I saw the front of that other ward building that its purpose screamed out at me ... massive opening windows are immediate tell tales of a TB sanatorium and I've since confirmed that this was the original purpose.

Disappointingly after signs of the site having been well secured for a while, when I was visited it wasn't secure at all, and worse the main mansion was soaking wet. It was only when I got up above the main roof that I saw why ... no slates left intact on the principally flat roof!