Abandoned wheelchairs, padded cells and rusty syringes: Chilling images from inside Britain's long-lost lunatic asylums left to rot

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A new book of photographs has given a haunting insight into the lives of people who were held in institutions that used to be called 'lunatic asylums' in Britain.

Photographer Mark Davis spent more than six years travelling to abandoned former psychiatric hospitals, where patients were treated for a range of mental health problems.

His book, Asylum, captures the remains of 17 buildings, including West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, Staffordshire County Asylum, North Wales County Pauper Asylum and West Park Mental Hospital in Epsom, Surrey.

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Empty beds: Two pairs of shoes are all that remain of the occupants of these beds at the abandoned Surrey County Lunatic Asylum

Eerie: An empty dentist char sits among appliances and crumbling walls at a former surgery at Barrow Gurney Mental Hospital in Somerset

Abandoned: Photographer Mark Davis spent more than six years travelling to former psychiatric hospitals including Lanark District Pauper Asylum at Hartwood Hospital

Deserted: The ballroom at West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum at High Royds Hospital in West Yorkshire has been abandoned since its last use several years ago

Mr Davis said: 'These buildings and its patients were often hidden from the public. It is important for us to remember these asylums in order for us to ensure we do not make the same mistakes.'

His work on the asylums was sparked by an interest in justice, which caused him to look deeper into the lives of the patients who were usually condemned to spend their entire lives in the institutions.

'What is most shocking about these places is the fact the people actually seemed quite normal,' said Mr Davis.

Distressed state: Faded green sheets that would have provided privacy for the patients in their hospital beds at West Park Hospital

Padded cell: The crumbling walls of a holding area for distressed patients at the West Park Mental Hospital in Surrey

Grave: A battered and rusting wheelchair abandoned at North Wales County Pauper Lunatic Asylum gives an insight into the abandoned buildings

Distressed: An abandoned and dishevelled corridor at West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum at High Royds Hospital in Menston, West Yorkshire

'You only hear of the most grotesque of cases but many people committed to asylums were in there suffering from illnesses such as depression due to loss of a husband, or even their job.

'To make these situations even more harrowing to hear is that once a person entered one of the asylums, it was very likely they would not come out even when cured.'

According to Mr Davis, many of the patients were detained if they had useful skills and given roles such as a seamstress or a builder because they would carry out such tasks for free.

Dumped: Blankets and other debris from the hospital litter the floor of this room at what was once the North Wales County Pauper Lunatic Asylum

An empty bath remains in place among broken doors and fallen ceiling at East Sussex County Pauper Lunatic Asylum at Hellingly Hospital in East Sussex

Abandoned: A painting of a teddy bear and an old wheelchair are a reminder of the people who once lived within the walls of West Park Hospital, Surrey

Place of confinement: West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum at High Royds Hospital, Menston, West Yorkshire

Mr Davis began his journey around asylums in 2008 along with other photographers but later discovered going in alone helped him to transcend the atmosphere of each building.

He said: 'You would be surprised how easy it is to gain access to certain abandoned asylums. Many had the front door left swinging in the wind for anyone to enter.

'The one that struck me the most was Barrow Gurney Mental Hospital in Bristol. It is surrounded by a creepy woods near these abandoned villas and is the closest thing to being in a horror movie.' 

Empty shell: Glasgow District Pauper Lunatic Asylum at Gartloch Hospital, Scotland. Many of the buildings featured in the book are due to be demolished

Afterlife: An abandoned room rots away at West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum at High Royds Hospital in Menston, West Yorkshire.

Whistle-blower: A whistle used to sound the alarm in emergencies, left. Surgical instruments, right, left out at Brecon and Radnor hospital in mid Wales

Rotting away: A flooded recreation area where patients would have once gathered to chat at West Park Mental Hospital in Surrey

In 1914, there were 102 registered 'lunatic' asylums across Britain with many of the Victorian structures being beautifully designed.

According to the book: 'County asylums were built at a rapid rate to cater for society's intolerance to behaviour and the increasing human wreckage associated with the newly industrialised society.'

To some, being committed to an asylum was worse than going to prison with asylums' only having 30 to 50 per cent discharge rate. 

Grandeur and decay: The arched ceiling of the East Sussex County Pauper Lunatic Asylum provides a contrast to the dust-covered floor and graffiti beneath

Coat room: Jackets, trousers and a suitcase belonging to former patients have been left in this room at West Park

Parked up: An abandoned bike left in a room at Cheshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum

However, some asylums were that well designed that patients found the facilities were of a better standard than their current living conditions.

Mr Davis added: 'Many of the patients at these asylums came from poor backgrounds, so when they arrived in such places as West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, who really went to town with the design and mosaics, they were humbled by being there and would do as they were told just to stay.'

The book, which is published by Amberley and also written by Mark Davis, is now available.

Asylum: A photographic record of the abandoned psychiatric hospitals of Britain has gone on sale