The hospital was originally constructed in 1861 as Banff District Lunatic Asylum at Whitehills, just along from the northern coastal town of Banff. The hospital’s input of 44 patients in 1865 were the first of many to cross the threshold and live out their days in this relatively remote but attractive facility. Considered a modern and successful unit in the early 20th century providing a good standard of care and range of facilities, it handed to the control of the NHS in 1948 by which time it had expanded and patient numbers amounted to several hundred. The later addition of various wards and blocks in the 1960′s extended the capacity and range of care the hospital offered peaking at around 1000 patients on site ranging from the severely mentally handicapped to those with less severe learning difficulties. Whilst these villa-esque outbuildings gave a greater scope of care, they also over time give a sturdy granite-built phallus a flimsy, prosaic sixties-era flowery panty. I’m sure they were seen as a positive and attractive addition at the time but while the main buildings have stood the test of time, these smaller buildings have deteriorated horribly and lost any character they may have had never for it to return.
Since the hospital’s closure in 2003 (amid ongoing rumours of historic abuse and mistreatment of patients) the deterioration has been ably assisted by the local youths young and old who have seen the buildings as the ideal ground for exercising acts of mindless vandalism leaving the area unrecognisable. These factors, combined with the rumoured underhand purchase of a lot of the land by a company controlled by the brother-in-law of the Scottish First Minister of the time have left a sour taste in the final mouthful of Ladysbridge’s history. Demolition of the site is well underway at the time of writing as shown in some pictures and the area will re-emerge as Ladysbridge Village comprising 117 residential units including some community care housing. The main building is to be retained and converted into flats. Or should that be luxury apartments?
These pictures were taken in February 2009.
