Kent County Lunatic Asylum (later the Oakwood Hospital) in Maidstone

The Kent County Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1833 at a site on Barming Heath just outside of Maidstone.

The photos in this collection show the original building (St Andrew's House) as it was following the closure of the hospital and standing derelict for many years. In 2002 the building was converted into residential use.

With thanks to Oxford Archaeology.

And with thanks to David Bowie, who provides the music.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Maidstone
• Hospital
• Psychiatric
• Wing

[exproggo]

Brilliant photographs. I'm so glad that someone took them (was it you, Moriarty?) I wrote a bit about the old hospital in a novel....back in 1990.

It gave me a lot of inspiration. Congrats on these photos, once again. :)

[Moriarty0001]

Thanks for the comment. The photos were taken by Oxford Archaeology as part of a survey carried out in 2000 prior to the building being converted. They kindly allowed me to reproduce their original photographs.

[Hotlipzism]

Im a mental health nurse and its hard when you see this to imagine its people that have problems ggo to such places

[loriburr]

My first husband and many of my colleagues trained as nurses at Oakwood in the 70's and also worked there until it closed. Im still in touch with some and im trying to get hold of old photos.

[loriburr]

i worked at Oakwood from 87 until its closure in 94. Some of the buildings were badly damaged in the great storm of 87 several months after i started working there.Those wards never reopened as the demolition, and construction of new homes was already planned. i feel lucky to have seen oakwood before its close down and witness the changes that shaped history in psychiatric nursing.

[catmadali44]

I used to work here in the 80's up until 85 when i left to have my daughter! I loved working there as we used to have some laughs. I become friends with one of the patients, haven't seen her in years though.

[FruityBooti]

Ha! I was actually sectioned on ash ward here in my 20's.

When the buildings were sold and re-vampt into flats I went and viewed the one where my section took place, it was really strange (but not as strange as me lol)!

[themontypythonmuseum]

(Just kidding, obviously.)

[themontypythonmuseum]

Oh, look, my old looney bin. Whenever I did not take my medication, I used to be locked up in the room at 1:24.

[exproggo]

Your "prison" remark is pretty spot on...cos the man who designed/built this hospital also designed/built Maidstone prison. (I guess I should have said "architect")