Tales of the Urban Explorer: Manchester Royal Lunatic Asylum

Apologies for the number of old hulks I have been writing about lately. I rarely get information about time-capsules and better places.

At least I can fool you today with an impressive title. This is my first lunatic asylum full of old wheelchairs, torture devices, real-ghosts threatening to make me leave or die, and implements of sacrifice.

It's all lies as none of these remain at this overgrown shell of what was once part of Cheadle Royal Hospital; it is just that.

The real hospital that is huge and fully functional is just a few hundred yards away; this part is named, 'South House' and has been left to rot away and was once used to house the nurses that worked and treated the insane in the big hospital.

Why it has been abandoned, who knows? I guess nurses have their own homes to go to now and don't need to sleep close by and be on call when a lunatic goes mad and starts climbing the walls.

Cheadle Royal Hospital, formerly known as the Manchester Royal Lunatic Asylum, was a psychiatric hospital built in 1848 – 1849.

As of 2010, the majority of the original site became part of the Priory Group, which offers comprehensive inpatient mental health services. One building, known locally as ‘South House’ has been left abandoned.

There is some distance between the huge working hospital and 'South House' but that has not stopped massive fencing being put in place to keep us out.

I owe it to @dizzydiscovery for being adaptive to this one and finding an extremely easy access point. He earned his keep today.

Someone close by is not happy with the number of explorers checking out this quite famous landmark. You don't tangle with anti-vandal paint unless you are wearing disposable clothing.

A pleasant walk took us to the entrance of this maximum-security location, and we were inside.

''''It's really not much to look at, though I had trouble fitting it all in using my phone camera for a single picture'…

Occasionally we find we can get into the grounds and then everywhere is full of concrete and it's a no-go. Not with this former lunatic asylum.

The way in was dark, ominous, and spooky. It would be to some, but dark areas don't seem to bother me anymore; I had to use lighting in some areas.

I knew it was a shell, but it is quite a colourful one. Graffiti was everywhere we looked.

The building has 3 floors on each wing, and both have the same layout.

Finding anything of interest besides unstable floors that could send you to your death was going to prove challenging.

Supermarket trolleys do appear in the strangest of places. Notice the abyss of pure death beyond the trolley? Some places are not made for walking anymore.

The central walking area was solid and made of some kind of stone or concrete but that could not be said of the rooms on each side.

This became more apparent on the first floor and even more so on the top level. The drop to all that greenery that you can see through the doorway was quite impressive as well.

There was a little atmosphere within 'South House', that I can't quite explain it, but I did find myself stopping, looking around, and feeling I was in a very strange place.

As I have mentioned before, I am blessed with not picking up on psychic energy, and this is a talent that befits Urban Exploring extremely well.

@dizzydiscovery was having problems walking along some of the upper levels. especially when both sides fell away revealing large drops and was walking like an old woman with a stick up her arse.

…’would you casually walk across here disregarding what is on either side of your vision?’…

I am quite bad at heights but walking on bad floors doesn’t seem to bother me the way it does him.

I was expecting to meet others in 'South House' but saw nobody; it is a very popular one and many come here for a look around.

This is the remnants of what was once a lift shaft.

We had a walk around the exterior of the building, and our duration was probably less than thirty minutes. Besides thorns, nettles, and brambles there was little besides the main course.

I would like to say it was thrilling and exciting but to me, it was, 'yeah, done that, where's the next'.

Perhaps if there was a wheelchair or two inside it may have been more interesting. As it stands, you should give it a visit just to pick up on the eeriness inside.

If I can feel it, then there is something in there. Don't go alone or you may see something.....

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