Severalls Hospital, former psychiatric hospital
Severalls Hospital is a former hospital in Colchester, England, now mostly empty or converted. The complex is made up of red brick buildings arranged in a stepped layout, with long pavilions that once held wards and covered corridors connecting them.
The hospital was built between 1910 and 1913 to care for people with mental health problems. After damage from a bombing in 1942, the complex was rebuilt and later became part of the National Health Service before closing in 1997.
The name Severalls comes from the original estate on which the hospital was built. The layout used south-facing pavilions to give patients as much natural light and fresh air as possible.
The site is mostly closed and many buildings are in disrepair or have been demolished. Some structures remain visible, but access is usually not possible as the grounds are marked for redevelopment or clearance.
The recreation hall once featured a fully sprung dance floor used for events and dances. This floor was badly damaged in a fire in 2005 when the building was already empty.
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