Over the past four decades, the brisk closure and gradual disappearance of these "palaces" for society's unfortunates brings to a close a once revolutionary history of medical architecture and facility design. Large, well-planned asylum complexes nestled in quiet countryside were a pioneering concept throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the aim being to care for people in a restful, specially designed and rigidly managed environment. However, as medical practice evolved, legislation progressed and systemic flaws became apparent, it became clear that these overcrowded and antiquated institutions weren't beneficial or helpful to patients and society anymore. They had to close.

 So, one by one, these unique, massive sites fell into ruin and under the thumb of vandalism. [add brief section about closure following health act]. However, with the rise of internet cultures, these tainted time-capsules became irresistible to movements such as urban exploration, graffitti artistry and practitioners of parkour. Many closed institutions gained an occasional second-life this way. The adventures and activities ending-up in forums, social media and increasingly on Youtube. But, after twenty years of barely standing in such feral states, the last of these remaining relics are finally being razed to the ground or converted to residential use. No longer will these elegiac and empty estates be amongst us. 

To find out more about the real-life story of how Britain's asylum and psychiatric hospital network came to be and decline, click here to begin