Description

This has got to be the biggest fail I have come across with regards to English Heritage and their information on former PoW Camps. Their report says quote “12 large gable roofed huts still in use as part of the hospital” this was in their 2003 report.

The site as visited contains two buildings: a large Victorian / Edwardian Hospital building to the rear. To the front is a new hospital The Bishop Auckland General Hospital Opened in 2000 by Tony Blair.

Given that the new hospital opened in 2000 AND it takes many years to build such places i.e 5 years English Heritage report was to my best guess 8 to 10 years out of date! So, it is fair to say that everything from the WWII site has gone and the only items remaining that could have been in use is the older building to the rear.

Interesting Malcolm Saunders research paints the picture as to the history of the site in that in his research notes he points out that old inter war maps identified the site as a former Auckland Union Workhouse. Interestingly in Mr Saunders notes he has included a section of the 1954 close scale OS map of the site. This map shows what appears to be two large interconnected buildings to what is now the rear of the site. These in shape, form and size match the older Brick Building shown in my own photos. It would also appear that one of the two buildings demolished as part of the building of the new hospital and that the Scanner Trailer shown in one of the images below would have been in the gap between the two connected buildings.