Bangour Village Hospital

Bangour Village Hospital-photographing abandoned places 

The Shop

The History 

 One of my many geeky passions is that of abandoned sites. Houses, churches, bus depots, anything that is crumbling or standing still in time fascinates me. To think of these buildings once bustling with people and serving a purpose is really intriguing. One of my favourite places to visit is Bangour Village Hospital, a 220 acre site just outside the village of Dechmont in West Lothian.

The hospital was opened in 1904 as one of the first village -plan psychiatric hospitals in Scotland, an idea that was brought over form Germany. The site included a shop, recreational hall, workshops, cricket pitch and later a church which patients themselves helped to build. Patients were homed in villa style buildings which could accommodate around 30 at a time.

Outside the 'Day Centre'

                                                                       
The hospital was taken over by the War Office during the First World War and treated the many hundreds of wounded while the mentally ill were displaced to asylums around Scotland. The hospital returned to it's original use  between the war years and after 1945. Over it's time, buildings were added to the original site, one of them becoming Bangour General Hospital which offered general services to the whole of West Lothian. A world famous burns unit,  plastic surgery unit and maternity ward were also added. I have quite a few friends who were born here.                                                                           

                                                                          

                                                  Taking Pictures

Lock 

Taking pictures at Bangour does not pose as much of an issue as you may think it would. Although I must stress there is NO access to the buildings-they are in very poor condition and are extremely dangerous. Security patrols the site at all times as there are many who will try and gain access to 'ghost hunt' or steal anything of worth left in the buildings. However, the site is open to the public to walk round freely and on any given Sunday Bangour can be pretty busy with families and dog walkers out for the afternoon. 

Football Pavilion 

Every time I visit Bangour it's overcast. It can
feel like quite a bleak place but is extremely atmospheric. There is not much colour in the buildings and it can be quite difficult to get good contrasts. A grey graduated filter may be useful for some shots, but I choose to shoot mostly in black and white when I'm there. Colour can be nice when you are trying to capture some sort of decay like in the shot above of the lock. 

Church 

A lot of the buildings are white and I found this tricky trying to get the correct exposure to show and detail of wood or brick work. The picture above of the football pavilion was shot at ISO 100, 5.6 app, 1/640 shutter speed. I've brought the contrast and the highlights up every so slightly but apart form that its pretty much straight out the camera-one of my favourite shots of the day. There is something new to be found with every corner you turn or with every new building you encounter.

One of the villa's 

Walking around Bangour can feel a little creepy. You can often still find objects belonging to one of the wards or even a patient- I have passed the same flattened pram every time I have been. But before our imaginations run away with us it is important to remember that Bangour was a real place which treated thousands of patients through the years with a mixture of therapies and which also gave patients opportunities to work in the grounds, in the various workshops or in the nearby farm. Having had the pleasure of listening to the stories of people who have worked here it seemed to be a happy place that was full of life. 

Villa 

After the opening of St Johns Hospital in nearby Livingston in 1989 the General Hospital at Bangour was closed and eventually demolished. With different treatments for mental health becoming available and a greater emphasis put on 'care in the community' Bangour began to wind down with the last patients being discharged in 2004. The following year it was the filming location for the film 'The Jacket' staring Keira Knightley,

                                                                    

                                                   The Future

Laundry 

Currently there are plans to re-develop the site into a thriving new community. Although a Conservation Area which boasts many listed buildings there has been discussions of both housing and retail developers going into the site. The listed buildings would be re-used as homes, while there will be new buildings added. Historic Scotland are working with both the NHS and West Lothian Council to produce plans which should be released later in the year.

Villa

Window 

Although many will be relieved to see the site redeveloped, I can't help but think it will be a great pity to see this incredible place go. As a photographic opportunity it is a gift no matter what you are into-landscape, documentary, abstract- and is accessible while still feeling almost forbidden. Although it can be a challenge to photograph such a place I would urge anyone who has not yet visited and who lives close by to go there with your camera and record as much as you can while you still can. You wont regret it.

                                                   Click here for an aerial tour- Bangour Aerial Tour

                                                   Until next time.....

Bus Stop