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West Hill Drive, MANSFIELD, NG18 1PL

This hospital on West Hill Drive started with five beds in the early C19th and was known as The Mansfield General Hospital. By 1890 it boasted 108 beds. Finally, Eric Sykes, the comedian, opened the last ward extension in 1950, a wing containing 60 beds. The hospital closed its doors in 1992, after King's Mill Hospital opened and it has now stood empty and uncared for over 20 years. Recently however, the Council have announced plans to build housing on the site. The other side of the road is already occupied by private housing.

The rubble in the foreground is all that remains of Mansfield's former general hospital, whilst providing the backdrop is the Mansfield Business Centre, Ashfield Avenue. Addendum: Planning permission for the construction of an £8.5m residential complex of 42 one and two bedroom apartments + 12 bungalows was granted in April 2016. This accommodation is to be for the over-55s, and it will be set around a landscaped village green. The construction period for the scheme is anticipated to be June 2016-November 2017.

Construction work on the site of the former Mansfield General Hospital. This project is an £8.5m residential complex of 42 x one and two bedroom apartments, plus 12 bungalows. The accommodation will be for the over-55 year olds and is to be set around a landscaped village green. Completion of the project is anticipated to be in November 2017. In the distance is church of St John with St Mary on the other side of the A6009 (a.k.a. Chesterfield Road South). The church tower is approximately 80 feet in height and the spire about 100 feet.

The A6191 runs for 5 miles between Mansfield and Rainworth. It follows what was originally the route of the A617 through Mansfield. The road was redesignated to A6191 after the completion of the MARR (Mansfield Ashfield Regeneration Route) to the south of the town, which took over the A617 number in 2004. Just before reaching the town centre, the A6191 mutiplexes with the A6009, otherwise known as the Inner Ring Road. The A6009 is a circular route, avoiding the main business district of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. It has a 40 mph limit throughout, and is a mixture of single and dual carriageway road. It should not be confused with "The Mansfield Circuit", which is a one way system that lies inside the Inner Ring Road.

The site of the former General Hospital. Behind the fence work continues apace on a project to build new homes for over-55s. This now-demolished hospital began with five beds in the early C19th and boasted 108 beds by 1890. Eric Sykes, the comedian, opened the last extension in 1950, a wing containing 60 beds. The hospital finally closed its doors in 1992, after the new King's Mill Hospital had been opened. It then stood empty for over 20 years. West Hill Drive empties out - at both ends - into Chesterfield Road South (i.e. the A6009).

West Hill Drive (ahead) is seen from one of several building site entrances. Inside this fence work continues apace on a project to build new homes for over-55s on the former Mansfield General Hospital site. This now-demolished hospital began with five beds in the early C19th and boasted 108 beds by 1890. Eric Sykes, the comedian, opened the last ward extension in 1950, a wing containing 60 beds. The hospital finally closed its doors in 1992, once the new King's Mill Hospital was opened, after which time it stood empty for over 20 years. West Hill Drive empties out - in both directions - into Chesterfield Road South (i.e. the A6009).

Wetherspoons Pub & Restaurant.

This, the former home of the Mansfield Bowling Club is situated behind "The Bowl in Hand" pub in Leeming Street. The traffic in the background is on the A6009. In the 1990s a multi-storey car park was built (behind the photographer's left shoulder) overlooking this green and as a result of the loss of the peaceful position of their existing ground the club committee began looking for a new home. This site was sold to the Queen Elizabeth (School) Trust that provided the necessary funding for some new bowling club facilities on a piece of land adjoining the school that had been owned by the Trust. Their new premises, including a new pavilion and green, were opened in 2009. The bowling club was then relaunched, free from the impact of the multi-storey car park and nearby pubs and fast food outlets that had surrounded the club's historic green. The former site now appears unused.

This cluster of houses occupy a corner site between West Hill Drive on the right and West Hill Avenue on the left. The wooden structure with the pitched roof at the closed end of West Hill Avenue is a probably the only structure still standing on the site of the town's former general hospital behind it. The hospital has been demolished and the council are currently taking public soundings about its plans to build 30-50 residential units for elderly people. Perhaps the wooden structure has been left for use as a shelter for the building contractors who will come onto the site shortly, or could it become a garden shelter for the future residents?