St Mary's Hospital

St Mary’s Hospital opened in 1896 as the Isle of Wight County Lunatic Asylum, serving the island’s psychiatric patient population for nearly a century. The imposing Victorian Gothic structure was designed to house over 500 patients in what was intended to be a therapeutic environment. The hospital closed in 1992, and the abandoned buildings have since become notorious for paranormal activity. During its operation, hundreds of patients lived out their lives within its walls, many subjected to harsh Victorian-era treatments and dying far from their families.

Witnesses exploring the derelict hospital report encountering apparitions of former patients, often appearing in period hospital clothing and seeming confused about their surroundings. Phantom nurses in Victorian and mid-20th century uniforms have been seen walking through corridors, checking empty rooms, and pushing medication carts that vanish when approached. The sounds of patients crying, screaming, and calling out for help echo through the abandoned wards. Many visitors report experiencing sudden feelings of despair, anxiety, or being watched when walking through certain areas of the complex.

The isolation wards, chapel, and mortuary are considered the most actively haunted locations. Investigators have documented unexplained footsteps, doors opening and closing by themselves, and sudden dramatic temperature changes. The treatment rooms where electroshock therapy was administered are said to generate particularly intense phenomena, with reports of electrical equipment malfunctioning and witnesses feeling static electricity and tingling sensations. EVP recordings have captured numerous unexplained voices, including patients asking for their families and what sounds like medical staff giving instructions. The hospital’s underground tunnels are regarded as especially oppressive, with multiple reports of shadow figures and the sensation of being followed by hostile presences.