Hellingly Asylum Hospital Water tower demolition

This is the Hellingly Asylum Hospital Water tower demolition (contained 3 big steel water tanks, IndEx and SES did with Cuddys yesterday. 35kg explosives steel plate protection and next to live hospital.

Hellingly Hospital was a large mental hospital in the village of Hellingly, east of Hailsham, in East Sussex, England. The hospital, also known as East Sussex County Asylum or just Hellingly, was opened in 1903. Its architect was GT Hine, one of the great asylum architects of the era.

The hospital boasted its own railway line, the Hellingly Hospital Railway, used principally for transport of coal. This branch line led from the main line to the boilerhouse. The hospital also had a vast laundry, ball room, patients' shop, sewing rooms, nurses home, extensive grounds, and an advanced utilities network for its time, including a large boilerhouse and a water tower. It followed the compact arrow plan for the main hospital, with separate villas surrounding this.

The majority of the hospital closed throughout 1994, however, and to this day much of the 25.4 hectare site stands derelict and extremely run down, after suffering repeated vandalism and multiple arson attacks. (Now being developed by Persimmons homes).

Dick Green also sent us a selection of photos we've combined into a video sequence of the event. Thanks to John Fox for allowing the photos to be used.