DANGER – DERELICT BUILDINGS. PLEASE DO NOT ENTER ANY OF THE BUILDINGS, OR CLIMB OVER ANY FENCES.
Note – The grounds are patrolled by security personnel. Please take care if your dog is off the lead, there is one security vehicle that drives around the grounds periodically. They are very good if they see loose dogs and stop, but please be aware of this vehicle movement.
Note – please do NOT go into the grounds at night. Although the site is not closed at night, security prefer you not to go in.
Bangour Village Hospital, near Dechmont in West Lothian, opened in 1906 for Edinburgh’s 'lunatic paupers', and for almost 100 years housed patients with mental health problems from across Central Scotland. But after St John’s Hospital opened in nearby Livingston in 1989, it was slowly shut down, and in 2004 the last remaining ward was closed.
In 1915, the hospital was requisitioned by the Army for military use, and with added temporary marquees, housed more than 3,000 wounded servicemen by 1918. The influx of soldiers meant that patients with mental disorders were displaced from the site and relocated to other asylums across Scotland.
In 1922, it reopened as a psychiatric institution and a Village Church was built to mark its reuse and serve as a war memorial.
Following the outbreak of World War II, the complex was turned into the Edinburgh War Hospital in 1939 with a large annex built to increase its capacity.
The last patients left the hospital in 2004, just under a century after the first arrived, and in 2005 the complex was used as a location for the psychological thriller film, The Jacket, starring Keira Knightley, Adrien Brody and Daniel Craig.
Today, it is a relic of its former past, and its Grade A-listed buildings leave a chill down your spine as you walk around the 960 acre estate. The disused site has a reputation among nearby residents for being haunted by the spirits of deceased patients. Are you brave enough to complete this multi-cache?
Walking into the hospital grounds from the parking area you will come to a house on your right hand side (N55 55.167 W3 33.096). The value of the last letter in the name of this building = A
Bus Shelter N55 55.138 W3 33.325 - How many panes of glass would be needed to repair the bus shelter to its former glory = B?
Villa Signpost N55 55.097 W3 33.422 - What is the number of the villa according to the signpost “C0”?
Speed limit N55 55.068 W3 33.597 - What is the speed limit around the site “D0”?
Villa Signpost N55 55.210 W3 33.528 - What is the number of the villa according to the signpost 2E?
Recreation area N55 55.235 W3 33.399 - What colour can you see? Number of letters = F
Church N55 55.348 W3 33.064 - What is the date inscribed on the stone 192G? Above the main door into the church is an inscription starting “Friend, this house of god”. How many lines of text can you see = H?
Accommodation Block N55 55.377 W3 33.126 - How many chimney stacks are visible on the building you are stood at the side of = J?
Departments N55 55.430 W3 33.070 - There is a sign on the building detailing 2 “departments”. The departments have one word in common. How many letters are in this word = K?
Main Hospital Building N55 55.438 W3 33.023 - This building was used during filming of 2005 film “The Jacket”. There is no additional information to be obtained from here.
Corner of villa 9 N55 55.385 W3 32.897 - How many digits are visible on the directional signpost = L?
Signpost N55 55.285 W3 33.061 - How many rows of text are visible on the direction signpost = M?
Recreation Hall N55 55.244 W3 33.108 - How many semi-circular windows are on the roof of this building = N?
Villa 10 N55 55.329 W3 32.846 - There are 2 signs attached to the boarded up door. What is the colour of the sign on the right hand side? Number of letters = P.
The cache can be found at N55 55.RST W3 32.XYZ
Where:
R = A – C
S = F-B
T = L-D
X = M + P
Y = J + N -H
Z = (E + G + K)/3
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.