Lost Hospitals of Surrey (LHoS) or Sussex!
This is one of a series of caches located on the sites of former Hospitals. Note: This cache was archived in February 2017, but given it represents an important part of the local history, I have revived it in its original form. The hide has been updated.
St. Anne's was built in the 1880s as a school in Redhill, and was a four-storey red-brick building built in the shape of an 'H'. After the First World War the site became a Foundling Hospital, and then was sold to Surrey County Council in 1935, when it was then used to re-house people from the Workhouse until it finally became a nursing home for the elderly and refuge for the homeless.
It ceased function in 1970 and the residents were slowly moved out, but in 1975 there was a serious fire that damaged the building and it was abandoned. It was finally demolished in December 1987 and a housing estate and a secondary school now stand on the former site.
Feb 2017 Note: I also thought I'd add in a log from the old cache and it again adds to the history of the area and brings this alive :) My thanks to Terrapintim for the memories..
"My memories of St Anne's Hospital. (By Terrapintim)
During the 70's and 80's my friend's dad was the caretaker and his family lived in the large house attached to the hospital. I spent many happy hours exploring the maze of abandoned wards, enjoying the gardens and telling ghost stories in the chapel. The hospital was enormous and had workshops and even a swimming pool, although this was decommissioned years before my visits took place. The hospital was also used as a film studio and I saw the BBC film Dr Who - The Invasion Of Time and Some Mother's Do 'ave Em there. I met Tom Baker, Louise Jameson and K9, which was the icing on my cake :) I remember the 80's campaign to list the building and save the clock tower, which were both unsuccessful! Finally, I remember walking up the hill to the hospital during my lunch breaks and watching with great sadness as it was slowly demolished. However, I smiled when they saved its clock and bells (Ting and Tang) and eventually moved them to the newly built Belfry shopping centre :D"