Hellingly Hospital
Abandoned psychiatric facility haunted by patient apparitions, unexplained voices, and shadowy figures roaming derelict corridors.
Hellingly Hospital, also known as East Sussex County Asylum, opened in 1903 as a self-sufficient psychiatric facility complete with its own farm, railway, and power station. At its peak, it housed over 1,100 patients and was considered a model institution. The hospital closed in 1994, and while most of the complex has been demolished, the remaining structures and the site itself continue to generate numerous reports of paranormal activity tied to the thousands of patients who lived and died there over nine decades of operation.
Witnesses exploring the ruins report seeing full-bodied apparitions of patients in period hospital clothing, often appearing confused or distressed. The sounds of screaming, crying, and moaning have been heard echoing through areas where patient wards once stood. Many report encounters with shadow figures that seem to follow visitors through the complex. The hospital’s distinctive water tower, which still stands, is said to be particularly active, with reports of lights appearing in the windows despite no electricity and the sound of footsteps climbing the internal stairs.
The former mortuary and the areas where electroshock therapy was administered are considered the most haunted locations. Investigators have reported sudden temperature drops, equipment malfunctions, and the sensation of unseen hands touching them. Several witnesses have described feeling an overwhelming sense of despair and anxiety in certain areas, consistent with the trauma experienced by patients subjected to early psychiatric treatments. EVP recordings have captured unexplained voices, including what sounds like patients calling for help.