A Saucerful of Secrets: Orchard Hill (formerly Queen Marys Hospital for Children)

I usually ignore the mass emails at work that tell us inane crap but something caught my eye on one of them. Orchard Hill was closing on 08/05/09.

(history bit : http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/49397 )

I had a week off work and thought I would get in quick before the place gets chavved up (urbexers NEVER trash a building and its contents). Again this turned into another picnic as I had the kids with me, a picnic works wonders for exchange of coming out with mummy exploring. And as it had closed down the previous friday it would have been foolish to go without them and assume the whole place was vacant and open to internals.

There was a lot of construction going on behind huge green wooden security fences that must have been at least 12' tall. The small viewing bit showed a barren wasteland of rubble bar one building. This was what was left of the old Queen Marys Hospital for Children.

Still we did find what I assume was a playground of sorts for the old place.

It contained the remains of an airing court. I would love to know what the multi-coloured mound was. Aparently there used to be a small train that ran around the grounds but I never came accross any remains of the track.

I did come accross this though that I found quite freaky

I believe this was for use for Orchard Hill though and not QMHC.

There were a few men on diggers and such around the grounds and also a couple of live bits but we weren't bothered by anyone apart from some bloke asking if I knew where some place was. When I said 'no, i'm just here to take photos of the abandoned place' he looked at me like I had 3 heads and swiftly moved on. Did meet a woman and her little boy in the woods though who applauded me for taking photos of the place as it's due to be completely demolished to make way for a 'super high school' (Stanley Park).