QUEST NUMBER TWENTY:

  • RAUCEBY HOSPITAL: SLEAFORD
  • BASS MALTINGS: SEAFORD

RAUCEBY HOSPITAL SLEAFORD: On this occasion of Quest number twenty no less, the Priory Quest Team planned what should have been a fascinating night-time excursion to the deserted and haunted Rauceby Hospital in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. We had been to the area a few times before and knew Lincolnshire to be a very haunted county so always very worth a visit; the very land itself seems to be a keeper of many ancient secrets.  It looked to be a very exciting quest which we were all looking forward to. We found the site with no problems at all and although much of the old hospital land has been developed and is now a modern housing estate, there are a few buldings left including an old chapel, so we were anticipating a very interesting night. However sadly upon arrival it was very clear that all the remaining land has also been bought by developers and is now being built upon, so under heavy security measures and no way in.

 

No access on this occasion….

The buildings that are left on the site are amazing; very big and intriging and set in a small deserted and very dark woodland setting, but sadly as said, are now totally surrounded by high security fences, so no way in at all for us Although from looking on youtube the urban explorers and other paranormal researchers always do find their way in!) It is sad that such beautiful buildings cannot be explored and appreciated anymore on any level…

 

Views of the old derelict chapel from beyond the security fence

Rauceby Hospital was originally called Kesteven County Asylum and is a now-defunct mental institution in the parish of Quarrington,  Lincolshire. Building work was commenced in 1897, the facility was completed and opened in 1902. After changing hands and names several times the main hospital building was closed in 1998 and abandoned for several years. From 2004 parts of the site underwent redevelopment to convert it into the  private housing tht now surrounds the remaining bulidlings.

So bsically what is now left include the deconscecrated chaplel, two graveyeards, a mortary and various tunnels under the corridoors, connecting the wards. In 1940 the building was taken over by the Royal Air Forcenand renamed as No 4 RAF Hospital Rauceby and it became a crash and burns unit under the control of RAF Cranwell. The South Lincolnshire Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust closed the main hospital building in 1997 and it was left standing unused for a while; sadly left to deteriorate until David Wilson Homes began the redevelopement in 2004, which is how we find ot today.


So just a few snaps from the perimeter of the fence of the old chapel still there. It was quite a misty old night, very atmospheric and just right for exploring what the old buldings had to offer but sadly not meant to be. The good thing is we did find the site with no probs and got a good feel for the place with a shadowy walk around the woods too, so onwards and upwards to the next outing!   For those intersted further there are some amazing photos and videos on the internet probably from the days before all the high fencing was erected.

 

<click on all photos to enlarge>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rauceby_Hospital

BASS MALTINGS: SEAFORD: We did have another site to visit on this night so wondered if we would have anu better luck there. The Bass Maltings in Sleaford, just up the road a few miles, is a large group of eight dissused maly houses originally owed by by the Bass Brewery of Barton upon Trent. They were constructed between 1901 and 1907 to Herbert A. Couchman’s design, and are the largest group of malt houses in England and are desgnated as a grade 11 on the National Herritage List for England. Sleafrd was the home for majot barley production and by the 1880’s was an important stop on the railways being an important part of the English brewing industry.

Again we found the site very easily and upon driving up to them in the dark, they towered way above the skyline and looked an impressive site to behold.Sadly again the securuty here was even tighter and we could get nowhere near; not even near enough to take photos and had to be content with views in the dark. As well as the towers there are also some workers cottages on the site which we could jusy make out.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Maltings,_Sleaford

Both of these sites visited here are sites of major paranormal activity, seemingly much more than is usual and much has been captured on camera by previous investigators. Very sadly not for us on this occasion, so for what ever  reason was not meant to be. If anyone wants to look further there are some bery good clips on youtube. As always if anyone is interested in the quests or in Priory – please do get in touch

‘The Keeper of Scrolls’

March 2017

“The Grail Kingship is within the realm of impossibilities”