Tales of the Urban Explorer: Seacroft Hospital
A few explorers had done it, why not give it a bash?
We were in Leeds and heading to Seacroft, a council estate district in the eastern area of the city.
Long ago, I had worked for a construction company named Henry Boot whose head office was in this very region. I can barely remember where it was and eventually I got the sack as the miserable arse boss took a dislike to me.
The hospital was founded in 1904, originally to care for people with infectious diseases. Most of the surrounding buildings have been demolished to make way for new homes.
Some explorers have sold out to the press who have dramatised the event stating blood stains have been found. More like a loose bogey that has been wiped on a wall sporting a little blood.
Don’t pick your nose so hard I say..., fucking idiots.
We parked close by at a nearby junction noting that construction was happening next door. Sane builders don't work on Sundays, what a blessing that is.
@goblinknackers and I walked the perimeter noting that nasty green spiky fencing that was doing its job very well until…
Ah, what's this, a breach…
Slipping through, both of us hugged the hospital wall and the first defences were down.
Seacroft Hospital is pleasantly secluded from Karens unless those builder dudes happen to be working.
NOTE: Don’t come on any other day, some of them are dedicated zealots and work Saturdays.
This looked like a small hospital, completely intact and yet named ‘Leeds City Hospital’. Could it be that the surrounding population rarely got ill, and so it could be kept this intimate?
Herras fencing (above) does not cause me any issues. I can climb it if necessary, slip underneath it, or more commonly navigate past the dividers as there’s almost always a single one that’s a little bent.
Why it’s called ‘anti-climbing fencing' I will never know. Someone has the market sewn up and the senseless buyers have been stitched up big time.
The clock tower would have been an adventure but was tightly sealed by sturdy strong balsa wood. That’s the stuff you make model planes from.
"You're like a bloody cat burglar", exclaimed @goblinknackers watching me struggling to get through a window that was not exactly easy.
If anything, I have become slightly more adept at ‘burglary’ without the burgling.
He chose to sit this one out, being more of a strength bloke than one of great agility.
With some effort, and sweating I was inside grateful that said window had not collapsed under my weight. They made window frames to last one hundred years ago.
Getting past the initial room was challenging and I had to navigate one of the dodgiest floors ever with a sizable drop below into blackness.
Stretching with all my might, I shifted my weight across and hoped I would not fall down this abyss and likely gain great injury.
...for fuck sake, was it all going to be like this?...
It wasn’t, but how was I going to get back out was the conundrum?
Inside was suitably wrecked, and I did notice the local vandals had not ripped the banisters off the stairs. They were even usable and didn’t fall off in your hands.
Being inside alone, even with @goblinknackers outside was still giving me the chills. It was October, and cold within these walls, more so than outside.
Seacroft Hospital was not completely graffiti-free. Taking little notice of the given advice I continued looking for something other than cobwebs.
That is a difficult safe to open without a handle.
Correspondence was sparse, besides Irene’s number who no doubt is a nymphomaniac, and desires hot sex.
The light is not switched on, though it looks that way.
Signage; it's not that far deteriorated that it's all vanished under masses of rubble.
I have been down much creepier corridors.
This building could be salvaged; the floors were good besides that death trap at the beginning.
A little colour enhances the image. Bright ones are the best.
There’s little chance of having a shit here, the remnants of the toilet were not to be seen. Nice tiles though.
In one respect, I was grateful to be alone inside Seacroft Hospital. The cracking of glass, talking or other noises would have creeped me out. Soloing is a different experience than having a partner knocking about.
The upper floors were noticeably brighter and I did not require the extra bright light I carry everywhere.
I poked my head into the loft area. Access to the roof would have been nice but crawling through there wasn’t going to happen.
The lower windows had been smashed, the nicer stained-glass ones intact. Were the local thugs and vandals appreciative of that nicer glass?
I waved to @goblinknackers through these windows.
In the distance are the new houses that are being erected next to the old hospital. When the residents move in, there will be a new wave of Karens impeding the progress of explorers at this hospital.
After around 20 minutes I had seen all I wanted to see and tried the front door, just for the hell of it.
The door opened and I was both gobsmacked and relieved.
...could I get out of here and continue living?...
Closing the door firmly behind me, and yelling out '@goblinknackers', my surprised comrade emerged quickly.
His chances of getting inside were still out of the question as a largish fence separated us and would have been extremely tough to scale from his side.
From my side, a handy wall helped me escape death, though it was still a little tricky navigating the spikiness and keeping my balls intact.
My successful hospital count has now been incremented by ONE.
There's barely any left in the country, and although this was not the most stunning of explores, I felt that satisfaction that one feels when something is conquered.
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5 years this has been happening to me, it started here, around people that are still here. Homeland security has done nothing at all, they are not here to protect us. Dont we pay them to stop shit like this? The NSA, CIA, FBI, Police and our Government has done nothing. Just like they did with the Havana Syndrome, nothing. Patriot Act my ass. The American government is completely incompetent. The NSA should be taken over by the military and contained Immediately for investigation. I bet we can get to the sources of V2K and RNM then. https://peakd.com/gangstalking/@acousticpulses/electronic-terrorism-and-gaslighting--if-you-downvote-this-post-you-are-part-of-the-problem
5 years this has been happening to me, it started here, around people that are still here. Homeland security has done nothing at all, they are not here to protect us. Dont we pay them to stop shit like this? The NSA, CIA, FBI, Police and our Government has done nothing. Just like they did with the Havana Syndrome, nothing. Patriot Act my ass. The American government is completely incompetent. The NSA should be taken over by the military and contained Immediately for investigation. I bet we can get to the sources of V2K and RNM then. https://peakd.com/gangstalking/@acousticpulses/electronic-terrorism-and-gaslighting--if-you-downvote-this-post-you-are-part-of-the-problem
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Is that all that's left of it? It used to be a huge sprawling place. Bit disappointing inside though it would have been too much to expect forgotten bodies and patient records!
The reason there wasn't much graffiti, only stuff smashed is the locals in that area can't read or write but are adept at hitting things...and people...with large blunt instruments!
I would have taken forgotten bodies and records.. nothing besides hot Irene's number. Better nick than your average hospital. They are generally dropping apart. I think this section may be Grade listed or it would be gone like the rest.
I had heard it was a dodgy place, but was not so sure hehe.., it's a little tricky getting in this one.., so maybe too much effort required.
Yes, I would imagine that bit is listed and despite most of Leeds being dodgy as hell, Seacroft, and the rest of that area is right up there on the dodginess scale!
But, you got in, so a great success mate :-)
Thanks, it's a bit like collecting Pokemon. Gotta catch them all. I have a couple more Leeds ones coming up (always do them in order of date). One is the Rising Star pub (Leeds), know it?
Maybe because you can't really get your foot between the wires like you can with chain link fence. Who knows though. I have actually never heard of this kind of fence before you mentioned it.
If you twist your foot sideways, you can gain some leverage. That said, going under it, or between the fencing is always easier. Climbing it may cause it to collapse. It's hardly sturdy.
Yeah, that sounds like an awesome way to break your ankle!
Do they not use this stuff over there? Have a look around when you are travelling. It could be.., they have just conned the UK buyers.
They have fencing, but I don't think it looks like that. I could be wrong. It isn't that often that I got poking around construction sites! :)
Nice building. Could be converted to 'luxury apartments' and sold for a fortune.
Are you sure that's not plywood blocking the tower door rather than balsa? A toddler could kick through balsa.
Hope your balls remain intact or we'll be calling your slobbber-had-the-chop.
I know, it's my sardonic writing style poking through. Often these wood barriers get kicked through. They may as well be Balsa.
I never know how serious you are :) I've not dealt with balsa since I was making models as a kid.
I see some places blocked up with medal panels. The owners are not taking chances, but I bet those are expensive. Any sort of security is always a compromise and a determined intruder can get past most things. I know you don't break things though. Someone obviously enjoyed hitting windows in that place.
Some of the old hospitals were grand buildings and unique like this one with clock tower, the ones they throw up these days seem mass produced and plastic in comparison.
Yes, they have character (and large holes in the floor). Makes it much more fun.
Salesman: "We call it the anti-climbing fence 2000."
Customer takes a short run and scales the fence easily, "But I just climbed it."
Salesman blinks slowly, "I don't see your point."
Customer rolls eyes, "errgh...whatever. I'll take six of them."
I do believe the buyers have no clue. I have learned a lot about fencing and its variants in the last 3 years!
Haha yeah you're probably a fence expert by now.
Another beautiful building gone to waste - where the the house developers when you need them ?
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It's all about agreements, most of the time they can't agree. Meanwhile said building gets more derpy by the day.
Wow that would make a lovely home conversion and that clock tower would also be a great conversion. Great post well done keep up the good work 👍🏼 Always like seeing the old property’s you post ….
Once again, you are so brave!! Amazing pictures!! I would only go inside a place like that with 20 people (that I know), so thank you for sharing! It's a great way to visit abandoned houses! Hehe
I am not a fan of soloing, but couldn't miss the chance of a visit. The access point may well be gone now.
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Wonderful pic. Awesome work
I have absolutely no doubt either that Irene was a nympho and indeed looking for hot sex :OD
You must always focus on the more interesting aspects of the explore if it's a little bare inside 😀
Hahah, and splendidly done!
You have definitely been in shittier places than this. This one is at least a one star abandonment! Still with complete stained glass. Maybe it could be a museum.
And that is a pretty awesome clock tower.
Better than a lot in there. You never can tell from the exterior!
Such a cool place… great you got in well and survived the death trap. 😎
The lights in that room sure look like they were in hahaha
Sometimes going in alone is much better than with more people. But sometimes it’s good to have a partner in crime close by.
They could fix it up, but unlikely to happen.
Thanks for taking us along on this exploration. It’s pretty cool!
Your upvotes on this post have also now incremented by one... on top of several hundred previous votes.
What a relic!! Built when buildings were works of art. The inside is trash, but, the outside is still awesome. Is that the only hospital in Leeds? The stained glass is still intact? That is surprising unless they just couldn't reach it. :)
Oh, Irene! The boys are coming for you!
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