Look inside abandoned hospital set for redevelopment

Looking along the main corridor inside the former Royal Hospital in Wolverhampton, which closed in 1997

Pictures reveal the ghostly interior of a Victorian hospital earmarked for development.

The three-storey Royal Hospital in Wolverhampton, which dates back to 1848, is one of the city's most iconic and historic structures.

Few have been inside the Grade II listed building, since it was abandoned decades ago.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) was given an exclusive tour of its empty wards and corridors.

The old chapel inside the Grade II listed building, which has lain empty for three decades

The major restoration project, undertaken by Walsall Housing Group (whg) and developer Jessup, will deliver 192 new affordable homes, including 38 one and two-bedroom apartments.

An additional 123 homes for affordable rent and 31 for shared ownership have also been built on land to the rear of the hospital building.

The Wolverhampton hospital had 80 wards when it first opened

A whg spokesperson said it was "a privilege" to bring new life to the building, which will provide accommodation for over 55s.

Provision will include communal lounges, a mobility scooter store and an on-site cafe.

Jessup managing director Chris Timmins added: “The Royal Hospital has played a huge part in the lives of so many people in Wolverhampton and we are proud to be developing such an iconic building."

Building work is due to be completed by the summer

Founded before the NHS came into being in 1948, the hospital was originally supported by voluntary contributions.

As it moved into the 20th Century, it took advantage of the modern facilities available. By 1900, the operating theatre was lit by electricity.

The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 saw many medical and nursing staff called upon for military duties.

The site closed in 1997 after services were transferred to New Cross Hospital and was bought for residential development in 2016.

A rear entrance to the former hospital, where building work is underway

Former staff nurse Margaret Hopkins worked as a student on the Harper Millar ward, which specialised in ear, nose and throat conditions, and an orthopaedic ward located in a new wing.

She also remembered the Scott and Twentyman Ward, which treated female surgical patients, and the male-only Graham and Adam Ward.

She said: “My memories of The Royal are very enjoyable, from the work and the friends I made – some of whom I am still in touch with.

"It was such a shame that it had to close and it has been missed by many people – staff and patients alike."

There was the Maclaren Ward, a male accident and emergency ward comprised of general surgical and Orthopaedic beds.

The hospital's pitch-dark former morgue adds to its eerie air