A derelict red-brick Victorian building under a grey overcast sky, its left section gutted by fire with collapsed roof timbers, empty window frames, and exposed brickwork, while the right section remains more intact with rows of boarded and broken windows and multiple chimney stacks. A blue construction hoarding with yellow warning signs and a metal fence run along the front of an overgrown grassy bank.

Show notes for Haunted Hospitals (The Ghosts of Former Hospital Facilities)

Posted on by Natalie Doig

Listen to the episode on BBC Sounds, Apple or Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A derelict red-brick Victorian building under a grey overcast sky, its left section gutted by fire with collapsed roof timbers, empty window frames, and exposed brickwork, while the right section remains more intact with rows of boarded and broken windows and multiple chimney stacks. A blue construction hoarding with yellow warning signs and a metal fence run along the front of an overgrown grassy bank.
Shires House the former Work House at Bedford Hospital North Wing

Eerie Edinburgh

Find out more about eerie Edinburgh here including his books and podcast: https://eerieedinburgh.com/

Watch an episode of Eerie Edinburgh about haunted hospitals:

Urban Explorer

Follow the Instagram account of the Urban Explorer I chatted with here: https://www.instagram.com/urbanuk_exploration_/

Princess Mary’s Hospital RAF Halton

Below is a link from the UrbEx forum 28 Days later and photos from their exploration of the site in 2007

https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/princess-marys-royal-air-force-hospital-raf-halton-retrospective-report-2007.150741

An art deco style staircase of wooden banister and metal posts, The floor is grey and covered with debris and flakes of paint.
Art Deco stair case this and more photos can be found on the 28 Days Later forum linked to above

More information about the history of RAF Halton and its hospital can be found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Mary%27s_Royal_Air_Force_Hospital_Halton

https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MBC24938&resourceID=1024

Here’s an article about part of the hospital being opened in 1927 from the Royal College of Nursing: https://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/data/VOLUME075-1927/page273-volume75-november1927.pdf

Another urbex site has a picture of the swing park I mention and just seeing it gave me shivers again!

https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/threads/st-marys-hospital-raf-halton.4786

Bedford Hospital North Wing

A derelict red-brick Victorian building under a grey overcast sky, its left section gutted by fire with collapsed roof timbers, empty window frames, and exposed brickwork, while the right section remains more intact with rows of boarded and broken windows and multiple chimney stacks. A blue construction hoarding with yellow warning signs and a metal fence run along the front of an overgrown grassy bank.

Below is a link to the Urb Ex forum 28 Days Later and their report on Bedford North Wing before the fire. The photo below and more can be found on that webpage.

https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/bedford-workhouse-bedford-january-2016.101577

The interior of a derelict building showing a wall lined with white tiles and a decorative patterned border, with an old cast-iron radiator below. Peeling paint and exposed brick are visible on the surrounding walls, and light streams in through an open doorway leading to another room
One of the corridors in Shires House from 28 Days Later forum

A closer view of the fire-damaged red-brick building, showing a roofless octagonal bay wing with a large arched window opening and graffiti, overgrown by tall shrubs and weeds in the foreground. Beyond a plywood-topped boundary wall, a taller section of the ruin stands with blackened window frames, a collapsed metal fire escape, and a lone antenna against the grey sky.
A photo of the outside of Shires House I took a couple of years ago

You can read more about the fire here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-46751989

Bedford South Wing Ghost

Here’s a link to the Daily Mirror article about the ghost sighting including the video recorded by the paramedic.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/nhs-worker-films-paranormal-activity-16225237

Here’s an article about the fate of both the fire damaged Shires House and Weller Wing: https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/rising-from-the-ashes-60m-mental-health-in-patient-facility-proposed-for-hospital-fire-site/

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Published by Natalie Doig

"Science and sorcery." It's a quote from a beekeeper I saw on the TV, about how he sees the work he does keeping bees, a balance between science and sorcery. For me it also sums up my experience of life, my interests and my outlook. I love photography which is a perfect blend of science and sorcery, using light and technology to create magical images. But when I'm not taking photos you'll find me making the podcast Weird in the Wade. I'm also often to be found writing, reading, knitting, riding my mountain bike or drinking coffee watching the world go by. By day I fight for disability rights, equality and inclusion for all.

1 thought on “Show notes for Haunted Hospitals (The Ghosts of Former Hospital Facilities)”

  1. Hello Nat

    I really am enjoying your podcasts on iplayer , which I have just recently discovered after listening to Uncanny earlier this yeat..so I am currently only up to your December 2025 post so far😊..

    I particularly enjoy your historical review and contextualisations which really add perspective and a real sense of the sometimes misguided attitudes based on limited knowledge or superstitions which sadly lead to terrible acts of cruelty or injustice as well as moments of rational consideration for the times in which historical or recent past events occured . Really very interesting and balanced ..please, do keep it up!..

    I just wish you had time to come Nottingham way.. Just as every town or city in the UK, we have our fair share of weird , uncanny and downright horrendous happenings over the last couple of millenia..

    Finally, and please forgive the question but ,could you review your underscore track a little please? The slight tinkling piano underscore meant for spookiness does get a bit grating on occasions if repeatedly used a lot… sadly I struggle with tinitus on occasion and find it difficult to concentrate on the spoken conversations under which it is repeadly used …just thought I would ask, sorry but thank you 😊.

    Kind Regards

    Helen.

    Like

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