Highwood Hospital Brentwood - December 2010

I had been introduced to a very experienced Urbexer by the name of Skeleton Key and this was the Hospital that would "Pop my cherry" so to speak!!!

This hospitals was designed by Charles and William Henman For the Metropolitan Asylums board,who at the times,scope of care had widened to cater for London's poor and sick children who were suffering from contagious diseases of many types.

It was completed 1904 and consisted of what was called 5 cottage wards arranged around two greens,on its 28 acre site

There where also two schools.So as to cater for children of different ages, to ensure that they didn't miss out on their education .

 

Throughout its history it has mainly provided care for children apart from the first and second world wars,when it was used by the War Office as all the children and staff were evacuated to escape the bombing


In its later days different parts were used in various roles .

The Hospital site had been made a conservation area in 2001.


Due to new facilities being opened in the area it was penciled in for closure


A portion of the site has already been redevelop it at a cost of £2.5m and now serves as the Brentwood resources center, to house mental health services, a Day Centre, a dementia clinic and therapy services for adults and the elderly.
 

The Hedgerows Nursing Home and Highwood Surgery, housed in three on-site bungalows, will stay.


The remaining 17 acres of the site was closed in 2009 and was sold to Bellway Homes ,


Who plan to build over 200 homes.


113 of the homes are to be built on the north end of the site and at the southern end 35 homes & 69 flats converted from existing Victorian buildings Work is due to start early 2011.