Deva Asylum.

Deva Asylum lies in the grounds of the very active Countess Of Chester Hospital in Chester, the Asylum was built in 1827 and opened in 1829, its original name was The Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum.

Through out the years the Asylum changed its name and in 1953 it was renamed Deva until 1984 when it was once again renamed to The Countess Of Chester a name which it still goes by today.

Originally the Asylum was meant to house upto 500 patients but over the years it expanded as did new wings and annexes until it could finally house over 1500 patients at any one time.

The main hospital itself is still very active but the Asylum is completely derelict and certain sections even boast power and running water still.

Development work is currently underway in certain sections and the site of the former staff homes and social club where converted to a new mental health unit back in 2005.

The Asylum eventually closed in 1991 and since then has been completely derelict and left to the forces of nature, considering it has been closed for over 15 years its in surprisingly good condition with some sections looking like there still in use.

The section we covered included the labs and pharmacy and the infamous Hazard Room which was actually done as part of an art exhibition some years back.

Asylums dont really come much more preserved than Deva, High Royds is excellent in terms of grandure and luxurious attention to detail but Deva does have character and offers a great deal too see.

From the legendary Hazard Room to the Dentists chair which hides away deep in the service tunnels to the natural decay that inhabits the various halls and annexes there is something that will appeal to everyone.

A few days after our initial visit we finished of the the rest of the site we had previously missed which was the admin block.

In here where the seclusion cells where problem patients where locked in till they calmed down, along with that we did happen across the logs of the patients that had been placed in the seclusion cells, which made very interesting reading.

And enjoyable place and apart from the natural decay eating into the site, it is pretty much in excellent condition through out, just surprising that more people have not been to see this place, as its severely underated and has a bit too see.