We first clambered into Wren/Wesley, falling through the open window in our haste to get inside and
out of the no-man’s land between the buildings and the fence. In the distance, dogs barked, continuously reminding
us that security were prowling and we’d need our wits and a certain amount of luck. But at least we were inside.
Our group grabbed pictures of the ward and I was pleased to be able to replace the low-resolution snaps I’d taken several
years previously. I ensured I covered the day rooms, corridor, a single room and the sanitation tower before returning
to the group who were debating where to go next.
However, our route out of the ward was blocked. The former passageway to the corridor network was completely filled by a pile of
splintered wood and fallen masonry. Daylight streamed through the gaps, highlighting the rusty nails and jagged metal
which made climbing the unstable pile a moot point. The corridor beyond had gone.
It was our first experience of the demolition work which was tearing the heart out of the hospital.
We had to venture back outside and attempt a route through another ward.
