An urban explorer has shared haunting photos of an abandoned Scottish psychiatric hospital.
Natasha McCallum discovered Bangour Village Hospital, west of Dechmont in West Lothian, while exploring and posted the images online.
The 'eerie' hospital, which first opened in 1906, became part of the Edinburgh War Hospital during the First World War but was later converted back into a psychiatric facility.
As seen in Natasha's stunning photos, the current condition of Bangour Village Hospital shows broken windows and floors littered with debris, while some of the original equipment remains.
Natasha McCallum posted the snaps of Bangour Village Hospital, west of Dechmont in West Lothian, to the Abandoned Places Scotland Facebook group
An urban researcher has shared haunting photos of an abandoned Scottish psychiatric hospital which she said gave off an “eerie feeling”.
The hospital, which first opened in 1906, became part of the Edinburgh War Hospital during the First World War, but was later converted back into a psychiatric facility
As seen in Natasha's stunning photos, the current condition of Bangour Village Hospital shows broken windows and floors littered with debris, while some of the original equipment remains
Due to changing mental health care practices across Britain in the late 20th century, many psychiatric hospitals closed their doors in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2004, the building officially closed following the departure of its last patients.
Natasha commented: “All that remains are dark corridors, collapsing floors and almost everything falling to the ground.” Although this place has such a haunting atmosphere, it is not a place I would visit again, even alone.
“They say this place is haunted, although the feeling inside was enough to possibly believe that.” To top it off, the freezing fog gave the buildings an eerie atmosphere.
“Inside you can see the remains of the old hospital. “I hope you enjoy the photos.”
Bangour Village Hospital, near Dechmont in West Lothian, opened in 1906 to serve Edinburgh's “mad poor” and housed patients with mental health problems from across central Scotland for almost 100 years.
But after St John's Hospital opened in nearby Livingston in 1989, it slowly closed, and in 2004 the last remaining ward closed.
Today it is a relic of its former past and its heritage-listed buildings will give you goosebumps as you walk around the 960-acre estate.
Bangour Village Hospital, near Dechmont in West Lothian, opened in 1906 to serve Edinburgh's “mad poor” and housed patients with mental health problems from across central Scotland for almost 100 years
After St John's Hospital opened in nearby Livingston in 1989, it slowly closed and in 2004 the last remaining ward closed
Today it is a relic of its former past and its heritage-listed buildings will give you goosebumps as you walk around the 960-acre estate
A former hospital worker who worked there in the 1980s described it as a “scary” place to live where there were many “shocked” World War I veterans
Built on the Bangour Estate, which was purchased by the Edinburgh District Lunacy Board (EDLB) in 1902, it was established as a new style psychiatric hospital based on the Continental Colony system
Built on the Bangour Estate, which was purchased by the Edinburgh District Lunacy Board (EDLB) in 1902, it was established as a new style psychiatric hospital based on the Continental Colony system.
This approach was developed in Alt-Scherbitz near Leipzig, Germany, and aimed to provide patients with a more calming environment for the duration of their stay.
The revolutionary design called for 32 suburban villa-style villas, with large bay windows and south-facing public spaces providing plenty of light.
Each could house between 25 and 40 patients, with non-medical staff separated by a complex of workshops, warehouses, a kitchen and the main hospital block.
The bedrooms were also located on the upper floor to keep patients away from the typical stresses and difficulties of institutional life.
By the end of 1905, up to 200 patients were housed at the facility, and it was recently discovered that 566 patients were buried in unmarked graves in nearby cemeteries.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, the complex was converted into the Edinburgh War Hospital in 1939 and a large extension was built to expand capacity.
After the war, the annex was converted into the Bangour General Hospital and the Bangour Village Hospital was converted back into a psychiatric hospital.
The disused site has a reputation among local residents for being haunted by the ghosts of deceased patients.
A former hospital employee who worked there in the 1980s described it as a “scary” place to live where there were many “shocked” World War I veterans.
After its closure, the former hospital served as a filming location for the 2005 psychological thriller The Jacket, starring Keira Knightley and Adrien Brody.
It was also later used for an anti-terrorism exercise conducted by the Scottish Government in 2009 to test decontamination procedures in the event of a nuclear explosion, while the site is currently earmarked for remediation.