Harperbury Hospital - Hertfordshire

Visiting Harperbury Hospital, near St. Albans, Hertfordshire, gives a rather stark insight into the treatment of people with learning difficulties and other disabilities during the 20th century.

The site opening in 1925, initially reusing WWI airfield hangars, as the Hangars Certified Institution with the first patients being 8 men considered "high grade feeble-minded adults". Work on building the main complex was started in 1929 and completed in 1936 when the now renamed Middlesex Colony was opened. Following the formation of the NHS, the site was renamed as Harperbury Hospital, and then with the move to a much less institutionalized approach to care of people with learning difficulties, the major residential part of the site was closed in 2001.

The site remains active with new bungalows built on the female loop for remaining high dependency patients, but the children's and male loops are now derelict following an absolute mauling by thieves who've removed virtually every roof slate and all easily obtainable metals. Whilst in many ways the villas are all rather similar and featureless, the needs of their residents still show through with, in several cases, large fences and padded rooms!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• UE
• UrbEx
• Urban
• Exploration
• Harperbury
• Hospital

[SomeProductions]

My first job was there, as a cleaner, at age 16 in 1975, male 10 then male 14. Terrible place. Saw lots of abuse. I also worked at Shenley and Napsbury. True horror in those places. I couldn't handle it. :(

[RAndyVee]

@SomeProductions I'd be lying if I said I was surprised. The children's wards with padded rooms and robust plastic furniture, the men's with high security fencing and some padded cells ... it was very apparent that there were some residents with challenging disabilities. Unfortunately such challenges can bring out the worst in a few of those given the job to care for those people.

[Borehamwoodgirl]

I used to visit someone here occasionally many years ago. It was always such a sad place and never a home for those unfortunate enough to have to stay here. The only nice thing i can remember is collecting armfuls of bluebells in the late spring before the land was sold off

[RAndyVee]

I must admit that out of all large number of sites I've explored, Harperbury was undoubtedly the "least happy feeling". Admittedly the miserable weather and poor light when we first arrived did rather set the scene!

[jamin85]

i'm working here at the moment removing the asbestos from all the old buildings that are boarded up. there's miles of underground ducts there going all over the place. pretty crazy stuff, excuse the pun!!

[RAndyVee]

I'd heard there was work going on stripping the buildings in the male loop. I assume they're prepping for demo?

[minnow0019]

Hi there

I am researching a documentary about the history of learning disability and am interested in speaking to ex patients and staff of asylums like Earlswood, Royal Albert and Harperbury. I would love to find out more about your experiences working at Harperbury, Shenley and Napsbury. Thanks very much, kelly

[misterpinoturco]

@SomeProductions I was a nurse assistant in fhe 1975 in male 10... do you remember Vernon Cryer? misterpino turco

[misterpinoturco]

@SomeProductions I was a nurse assistant in fhe 1975 in male 10... do you remember Vernon Cryer? pino turco

[charliereynolds]

HAHAHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK

[mdizal]

lol these are my ends.. OSN

mans be bunning bare spliff dwn der.. lol

we used to go der as kids and make bases lol

dey knocked all the fun buildings down now tho :(

quite wierd seeing it on utube lolz

[jamin85]

yer, we're taking all the asbestos out before the demo can go in and rip them down. messy job but somebodies gotta do it!!!