Morgue left untouched inside abandoned psychiatric hospital which treated kids

10 February 2024 , 19:07

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After its closure, the building rapidly decayed (Image: mediadrumimages/@chloeurbex)

Chilling images of an abandoned psychiatric hospital gives us a glimpse into life as a patient in 19th century Britain - where more drastic methods were used to treat mental health conditions in children.

Hellingly Hospital in East Sussex first opened its doors in 1898 to combat overcrowding in the nearby Sussex County Asylum. The building was once brimming with life, housing patient wards, kitchens, a nurses home - and even a sewing room.

But today, it lies completely derelict and covered in debris, as chilling photos reveal what is left of the now abandoned mental asylum. One photo, taken inside the hospital's morgue, shows stacks of empty body trays left with the doors ripped off the hinges to reveal the inside.

The hospital was known for its use of electroconvulsive therapy, a treatment that sent an electric current to the brain, causing a brief surge of electrical activity within the brain.

The morgue with body trays on display (mediadrumimages/@chloeurbex)

ECT treatment was aimed to cure mental health problems, and was used to treat conditions such as substance abuse, schizophrenia, hysteria, and anxiety. However it was extremely detrimental to the health and could cause mania, catatonic states, and many more health problems.

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

The hospital eventually closed down in 1994 due to the decline in the number of patients needing treatment. After its closure, the building rapidly decayed, suffering arson attacks and vandalism.

In the mid-2010s, demolition of the site began to make way for new housing, but some of the original buildings will remain. One unit, the 'Ashen Hill secure unit', was still operating until 2012.

Urban explorer and photographer Chloe Urbex, 21, captured haunting images of the abandoned building in Brighton, UK.

She said: "The building was very dangerous.

The infirmary pictured when the hospital was in use (NHS)

"We fell through the ground floor on so many occasions, so when exploring the upper floors where the wards were, we avoided any dodgy-looking floor.

"I was very happy to see inside this building as I was always curious to see what was behind the metal shutters.

"I felt a strong emotion of joy after capturing the mortuary as I didn't really know what to expect as I have only seen one documentation on it from 2014.

"I was expecting it to be all stripped however it was only partially stripped, and the fridges still had the body trays which made it very interesting to us."

Zahra Khaliq