Haunting images of the remains of a building once part of 'Manchester Royal Hospital for the Insane' reveal what is left from the corridors once walked by patients and nurses. The original hospital, one of the UK's first asylums, was relocated from Manchester Infirmary in the city centre to the suburbs of Stockport in 1849. Now a series of haunting images show the dilapidated remains of a building. They depict the extent of decay that years of neglect have inflicted on South House - an abandoned section of the asylum complex. At the time, the institution was considered ground-breaking.
Hospital leaders aimed to distance themselves from the harsh and degrading treatment often used by other mental health institutions, opting instead for gentler methods for those suffering from psychiatric illnesses. It was nestled on the leafy outskirts of Cheadle, and catered primarily to the middle and upper classes. Unlike 'pauper asylums', they accepted voluntary patients, making it the first known asylum to do so, Manchester Evening News reports.
In 1902, the name was changed to Cheadle Royal Hospital in an effort to eliminate the stigma associated with its previous name. By this point, it had become one of the largest hospitals of its kind in the country. South House was built in 1937, initially serving as accommodation for hospital staff. By 2010, the majority of the main site of the hospital became part of the Priory Group, a private hospital providing comprehensive inpatient care.
