Below are pictures of the real Hellingly hospital
History
![Foto](/uploads/2/2/7/7/22773548/2454746.jpg?320)
Hellingly Hospital, formerly known as the East Sussex County Asylum, was a large Psychiatric hospital close to the village of Hellingly in the English county of East Sussex.
The County Authority of East Sussex decided to build a new lunatic asylum at the turn of the twentieth century after problems of overcrowding at the Haywards Health Asylum, formerly known as the Sussex County Asylum. The construction of Hellingly Hospital began in 1898 and was finished on July 20th 1903 at a total cost of £353,400.
The main complex comprised an administrative block, central stores, kitchens, a recreation hall and the assistant medial officer’s residence. Like most large institutions of this age and type the sexes were separated into separate accommodation and work areas. To the west of the central clock stood the male wards, workshops, boiler house and a nurses’ home. All of the buildings in the main complex were linked by an extensive network of corridors.
Post-war developments included the conversion of the Superintendent’s residence to a nurses’ home, the closure of the hospital farm, of Tennyson house and the staff social club. During the mid-1980’s, Hellingly was chosen as one of the five mental hospital sites in the south east of England to accommodate a medium secure unit, known as Ashen Hill and located to the east of the main buildings and villas. Despite these developments, patient numbers were already declining and the entire main building was vacated and closed in 1994.
The County Authority of East Sussex decided to build a new lunatic asylum at the turn of the twentieth century after problems of overcrowding at the Haywards Health Asylum, formerly known as the Sussex County Asylum. The construction of Hellingly Hospital began in 1898 and was finished on July 20th 1903 at a total cost of £353,400.
The main complex comprised an administrative block, central stores, kitchens, a recreation hall and the assistant medial officer’s residence. Like most large institutions of this age and type the sexes were separated into separate accommodation and work areas. To the west of the central clock stood the male wards, workshops, boiler house and a nurses’ home. All of the buildings in the main complex were linked by an extensive network of corridors.
Post-war developments included the conversion of the Superintendent’s residence to a nurses’ home, the closure of the hospital farm, of Tennyson house and the staff social club. During the mid-1980’s, Hellingly was chosen as one of the five mental hospital sites in the south east of England to accommodate a medium secure unit, known as Ashen Hill and located to the east of the main buildings and villas. Despite these developments, patient numbers were already declining and the entire main building was vacated and closed in 1994.
The legend
During the second world war a man named Winston Clayworth was shot in the knee by a German soldier whom invaded his residence located just a little east of the Hellingly hospital. Dr. Clayworth was a Therapist at the hospital and worked very hard in order to keep up with all the developments of the patients.
One day n September, 1946 Dr. Clayworth arrived at work, only to find out that his office was raided by the patients. All his files, his life work was gone. A nurse told him that one of the patients lost his mind during a painting session, In which they were told to paint what comes to mind.
Patient #76 (real name unknown) painted himself, surrounded by unknown figures. One of the nurses found this very disturbing and asked #76 why he painted this.. he replied: “It was the first thing that came to mind”. The nurse let #76 listen to the radio, which had some kind of hypnotic effect on him, until Dr. Clayworth arrived at work to talk to him.
When the nurse was walking through the corridors on her way to the nurses’ house, #76 was spotted crawling across the floor. the nurse got a very eerie feeling and ran towards the security guards. She looked back to point out #76's position for the gaurds but he was gone.
The guards were sceptical about the situation, did the nurse lose her mind? out of pure curiosity, they went to check on #76’s room and found that he was still there, sitting in the corner, mumbling seemingly random sounds. They assured the nurse everything was okay.
8:30 AM, Dr. Clayworth enters the building and the nurse filled him in on what happened. He was going to have a word with this patient.
In a little room, in the east wing of the hospital they sat down together. And Dr. Clayworth was feeling a little uncomfortable but proceeded the session anyway. The first thing he asked #76 was: “Do you know why you’re here?” on which #76 replied: “because I’m a lunatic”. “now that’s not entirely true.. you’re just a bit different, and that’s not a bad thing, it just means that other people may find you strange at some times” said Clayworth. #76 whispered: “all the time”. “what?”. “they find me different all the time”. Dr. Clayworth got a bit confused and asked: “Who finds you different? Everyone in this building understands your conditions”. In which #76 replied: “I’m not talking about the people.. The other things”
Dr. Clayworth was getting very nervous when #76 started shouting.. “i wish they would all just go away!” Dr. Clayworth told #76 to calm down and that these things couldn’t get in this room. “You think we’re safe? You think walls will hold them back? It doens't work, I tried.” Dr. Clayworth asked: “What have you tried?”. “does it matter? It didn’t work! now stop trying to extract information, They hear everything.” Dr. Clayworth was getting a bit anxious, if #76 attacks him in any way he wouldn't stand a chance since he could only run for a couple of feet due to the bullet-in-knee incident during the war.
Dr. Clayworth said to #76: “you need to let it go, there is no such things as demons” That’s when #76 stood up and yelled: “you think i made them up?! i'll show you how goddamn real they are!”. He raised his hands up in the air and chanted unknown words. a full building blackout occured. it was a pitch-black darkness and #76 escaped the room and went full berzerk on everyone, killing many patients and nurses in the process.
They say that Dr. Clayworth managed to find a flashlight and is looking for a way out while being chased by #76 to this day.
One day n September, 1946 Dr. Clayworth arrived at work, only to find out that his office was raided by the patients. All his files, his life work was gone. A nurse told him that one of the patients lost his mind during a painting session, In which they were told to paint what comes to mind.
Patient #76 (real name unknown) painted himself, surrounded by unknown figures. One of the nurses found this very disturbing and asked #76 why he painted this.. he replied: “It was the first thing that came to mind”. The nurse let #76 listen to the radio, which had some kind of hypnotic effect on him, until Dr. Clayworth arrived at work to talk to him.
When the nurse was walking through the corridors on her way to the nurses’ house, #76 was spotted crawling across the floor. the nurse got a very eerie feeling and ran towards the security guards. She looked back to point out #76's position for the gaurds but he was gone.
The guards were sceptical about the situation, did the nurse lose her mind? out of pure curiosity, they went to check on #76’s room and found that he was still there, sitting in the corner, mumbling seemingly random sounds. They assured the nurse everything was okay.
8:30 AM, Dr. Clayworth enters the building and the nurse filled him in on what happened. He was going to have a word with this patient.
In a little room, in the east wing of the hospital they sat down together. And Dr. Clayworth was feeling a little uncomfortable but proceeded the session anyway. The first thing he asked #76 was: “Do you know why you’re here?” on which #76 replied: “because I’m a lunatic”. “now that’s not entirely true.. you’re just a bit different, and that’s not a bad thing, it just means that other people may find you strange at some times” said Clayworth. #76 whispered: “all the time”. “what?”. “they find me different all the time”. Dr. Clayworth got a bit confused and asked: “Who finds you different? Everyone in this building understands your conditions”. In which #76 replied: “I’m not talking about the people.. The other things”
Dr. Clayworth was getting very nervous when #76 started shouting.. “i wish they would all just go away!” Dr. Clayworth told #76 to calm down and that these things couldn’t get in this room. “You think we’re safe? You think walls will hold them back? It doens't work, I tried.” Dr. Clayworth asked: “What have you tried?”. “does it matter? It didn’t work! now stop trying to extract information, They hear everything.” Dr. Clayworth was getting a bit anxious, if #76 attacks him in any way he wouldn't stand a chance since he could only run for a couple of feet due to the bullet-in-knee incident during the war.
Dr. Clayworth said to #76: “you need to let it go, there is no such things as demons” That’s when #76 stood up and yelled: “you think i made them up?! i'll show you how goddamn real they are!”. He raised his hands up in the air and chanted unknown words. a full building blackout occured. it was a pitch-black darkness and #76 escaped the room and went full berzerk on everyone, killing many patients and nurses in the process.
They say that Dr. Clayworth managed to find a flashlight and is looking for a way out while being chased by #76 to this day.